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Read. Follow. Verify.Iowa Senate File 2157 Establishes Civil Claim Standards for Malicious Prosecution Between Private Parties
Last action · March 4, 2026: Subcommittee recommends passage.Sponsor: Adrian Dickey
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What This Bill Would Do
Iowa Senate File 2157 allows individuals to file a civil action for against private parties who initiated prior civil claims without and with , without requiring proof of special injury such as arrest or property seizure.
Private litigants defending against unmerited civil actions can seek damages without meeting heightened historical injury thresholds, provided they prove the prior case ended in their favor and lacked legal justification.
- Senate File 2157 was introduced in the Iowa Senate by Senator Dickey during the 2026 legislative session. context
- Malicious prosecution is a common-law tort claim that allows individuals to sue those who initiated prior legal proceedings against them wrongfully and without cause. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Private parties involved in civil litigation
Individuals engaged in civil lawsuits gain the ability to file a malicious prosecution claim under newly defined standards without showing special injury.
Key Facts
- A person may bring a civil action for malicious prosecution against a private party who initiated or caused to be initiated a civil action against them.
- To prevail, the plaintiff must prove the underlying civil action was decided or dismissed in their favor, the defendant lacked probable cause, the defendant acted with malice, and the plaintiff suffered actual damages.
- Malice is defined as the initiation of a civil action for a primary purpose other than securing a proper adjudication of the claim.
- Probable cause is defined as the existence of reasonably known facts and law that would lead a reasonable person to believe, in good faith, that the civil action was legally and factually justified at initiation.
Show all 6 facts
- Plaintiffs are not required to plead or prove arrest, seizure of property, restraint on liberty, issuance of an injunction, or any other heightened or special injury.
- The statute applies exclusively to malicious prosecution actions between private parties and does not alter doctrines governing standing to challenge governmental or public wrongs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a plaintiff need to prove to win a malicious prosecution claim under this bill?
Does a plaintiff need to show that their property was seized or that they were arrested to file this claim?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently passed chamber. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.
Procedural history
13 actions- Mar 4, 2026Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee recommends passage.
- Mar 3, 2026HouseSubcommittee Meeting: 03/04/2026 8:15AM House Lounge.
- Mar 3, 2026HouseSubcommittee: Lawler, Olson and Watkins. H.J. 525 .
- Feb 25, 2026HouseIntroducedRead first time, referred to Judiciary. H.J. 416 .
- Feb 24, 2026HouseMessage from Senate. H.J. 399 .
- Feb 24, 2026SenateImmediate message. S.J. 381 .
Show 7 earlier actions
- Feb 24, 2026SenateFloorPassed Senate , yeas 29, nays 17. S.J. 381 .
- Feb 19, 2026Iowa LegislaturePlaced on calendar.
- Feb 19, 2026SenateCommittee report, recommending passage. S.J. 335 .
- Feb 9, 2026Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee recommends passage.
- Feb 5, 2026SenateSubcommittee Meeting: 02/09/2026 2:00PM Senate Lounge.
- Feb 4, 2026SenateSubcommittee: Bousselot, Blake, and Webster. S.J. 200 .
- Jan 29, 2026SenateIntroducedIntroduced, referred to Judiciary. S.J. 169 .
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Codification of Private Malicious Prosecution Standards
The bill establishes explicit statutory definitions for malice and probable cause in the context of civil actions between private parties under section 611.24.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.legis.iowa.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy45Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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