Iowa Code Title I. State Sovereignty and Management [Chs. 1-38D] § 6A.24. Judicial review of eminent domain authority

1. An owner of property described in an application for condemnation may bring an action challenging the exercise of eminent domain authority or the condemnation proceedings. Such action shall be commenced within thirty days after service of notice of assessment pursuant to section 6B.8 by the filing of a petition in district court. Service of the original notice upon the acquiring agency shall be as required in the rules of civil procedure. In addition to the owner of the property, a contract purchaser of record of the property or a tenant occupying the property under a recorded lease shall also have standing to bring such action.

2. An acquiring agency that proposes to acquire property by eminent domain may file a petition in district court seeking a determination and declaration that its finding of public use, public purpose, or public improvement necessary to support the taking meets the definition of those terms. The action shall be commenced by the filing of a petition identifying all property owners whose property is proposed to be acquired, any contract purchaser of record of the property, and any tenant known to be occupying the property, and including a description of the properties proposed to be acquired and a statement of the public use, public purpose, or public improvement supporting the acquisition of the property by eminent domain. The original notice shall be served as required by the rules of civil procedure on each property owner named in the petition and on any contract purchaser of record of the property and on any tenant occupying the property under a recorded lease. Such action may be commenced by an acquiring agency at any time prior to the filing of an application for condemnation pursuant to section 6B.3.

3. For any action brought under this section, the burden of proof shall be on the acquiring agency to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the finding of public use, public purpose, or public improvement meets the definition of those terms. If a property owner or a contract purchaser of record or a tenant occupying the property under a recorded lease prevails in an action brought under this section, the acquiring agency shall be required to pay the costs, including reasonable attorney fees, of the adverse party.