Iowa Code Title XV. Judicial Branch and Judicial Procedures [Chs. 595-686] § 631.2. Jurisdiction and procedures

1. The district court sitting in small claims shall exercise the jurisdiction conferred by this chapter, and shall determine small claims according to the statutes and the rules prescribed by this chapter. Except when transferred from the small claims docket as provided in section 631.8, small claims may be tried by a judicial magistrate, a district associate judge, or a district judge.

2. The clerk of the district court shall maintain a separate small claims docket which shall contain all matters relating to small claims which are required by section 602.8104, subsection 2, paragraph “e”, to be contained in a combination docket.

3. Statutes and rules relating to venue and jurisdiction shall apply to small claims, except that a provision of this chapter which is inconsistent therewith shall supersede that statute or rule.