Iowa Department of Corrections - Attorney Contact with Incarcerated Clients

Attorney Contact with Incarcerated Clients

Attorney/Client Visits

Service of Process on Offenders

Attorney/ Client Visits

Iowa Admin Code 201- 20.3(10)(b)

Attorneys must complete an initial visitor application form to visit an offender; however, this initial application shall apply to multiple visiting lists. After initial approval is established, attorneys must contact the central visiting authority at (319)385-9511 to be added to the visiting lists of additional offenders. Background checks are not required, and attorneys shall not be counted as a friend on an offender's visiting list.

Attorneys shall present proof of identity upon entrance to the institution. The offender must express a desire to visit with an attorney before the attorney will be admitted. Attorney visits shall be during normal visiting hours unless a special visit has been requested by the offender and approved by the warden/superintendent or designee prior to the visit. For information on visiting hours and DOC visiting policy, see DOC website tab entitled "Visiting Hours."

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Legal Mail

Iowa Admin Code 201-20.4(2)

All offenders may receive confidential communications from their attorney. However, attorneys should be aware of the following rules regarding confidential communications.
1. Confidential mail will not be read or censored.
2. Confidential mail will be delivered unopened and then, in the presence of the offender, will be opened and inspected for contraband and to ensure that the contents are from the return addressee.
3. . Confidential mail may be read only after a finding of probable cause by a court of competent jurisdiction that a threat to the order and security of the institution or abuse of correspondence exists.
4. The offender's name, number (if known), box number or street address, city, state, and zip code shall also appear on the envelope of incoming mail.

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O-Mail

Iowa Admin Code 201-20.4(3)(x)

"O-mail" is electronic mail that can be sent to and from offenders and the public
1. The offender's family and friends shall be responsible for registering on the corrlinks Internet site to enroll in the O-mail system: http://www.corrlinks.com.
2. Each O-mail message is limited to two pages, and attachments are not allowed.
3. There is a cost for sending an O-mail message, which shall be the responsibility of the sender. 4. Incoming and outgoing O-mail shall meet the same standards as used for offender mail.

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Telephone Calls

An attorney wishing to communicate with an offender by telephone must be aware of certain rules and restrictions.

1.	Incoming Calls - Each institution shall designate an individual as the primary contact for attorneys who wish to arrange for an incoming call to an offender. Attorneys must provide 5 days advance notice to the institution's primary contact in order to arrange an incoming legal call between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:00 pm. Monday through Friday, except State holidays. The institution shall provide one private attorney telephone area with a telephone that is not capable of outgoing calls. Calls shall be scheduled in 25 minute intervals. Though attorneys are encouraged to limit their calls to one 25 minute time slot because only one telephone room per institution is available, attorneys may schedule two consecutive slots when necessary and if consecutive time slots are available. A staff member must be tasked to answer the telephone, verify the identity of the attorney, and provide the telephone to the offender. These calls shall not be monitored.
Incoming legal calls that are needed to address an imminent deadline within the 5 day notice period may be approved by the Warden/Superintendent or designee upon review of written documentation which establishes the need for the imminent call. Primary Contacts:
a.	Anamosa State Penitentiary. (319) 462-3504 ext. 2221 � Sheryl Perrin.
b.	Clarinda Correctional Facility. (712) 542-5634 ext. 6136 � Ellen Poland.
c.	Fort Dodge Correctional Facility. (515) 574-4700 ext. 5551 � Marlene Deal.
d.	Iowa Correctional Institution for Women. (515) 967-4236 ext. 1205 � Deb Rhoads.
e.	Iowa Medical & Classification Center. (319) 626-2391 ext. 4311 � Teri Williams.
f.	Iowa State Penitentiary. (319) 372-5432 ext 201 � Jill Johnson.
g.	Mount Pleasant Correctional Facility. (319) 385-9511 ext. 2333 � Annie Meyer.
h.	Newton Correctional Facility. (641) 792-7552 ext. 607 � Joyce Kingery.
i.	North Central Correctional Facility. (712) 297-7521 ext. 282 � Cindy Shelp.
2.	Outgoing Calls - Offenders can utilize the inmate telephones to place an outgoing call to their attorney. Calls to attorney office telephone numbers registered with the Iowa Supreme Court are not monitored or recorded in the offender telephone system.

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Electronic Devices

The use of electronic devices, such as videotape recorders or computers, is generally not permitted. The Warden/Superintendent may permit such use, however, if it is shown that such use is absolutely essential to facilitate the attorney-client relationship, and such use would not be inconsistent with the institution's maintenance of security, good order, or discipline.

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Service of Process on Offenders

Under section 1.305(4) of the Iowa Rules of Civil Procedure, any inmate of any institution in the control of a director of a division of the department of corrections may be served by the official in charge of such institution or that official's assistant. See DOC website tab entitled "Institutions/Districts" for the official in charge of each institution. Proof of such service may be made by the certificate of such official.

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