1. 512(1)Requests. Any party may serve on any other party a request:
a. To produce and permit the party making the request, or someone acting on that party’s behalf, to inspect, copy, test, or sample any designated documents or electronically stored information-including writings, drawings, graphs, charts, photographs, sound recordings, images, and other data or data compilations stored in any medium from which information can be obtained-translated, if necessary, by the respondent into a reasonably usable form.b. To inspect, copy, test, or sample any designated tangible things which constitute or contain matters within the scope of rule 1.503 and which are in the possession, custody or control of the party upon whom the request is served.c. To permit, except as otherwise provided by statute, entry upon designated land or other property in the possession or control of the party upon whom the request is served for the purpose of inspection and measuring, surveying, photographing, testing, or sampling the property or any designated object or operation thereon, within the scope of rule 1.503.1. 512(2)Procedure.a. Making requests. The request shall set forth the items to be inspected either by individual item or by category, and describe each item and category with reasonable particularity. The request shall specify a reasonable time, place, and manner of making the inspection and performing the related acts. The request may specify the form in which electronically stored information is to be produced.b. Responses and objections.(1) The party upon whom the request is served shall serve a written response within 30 days after the service of the request. The court may allow a shorter or longer time.(2) For each item or category, the response must state that inspection and related activities will be permitted as requested or state the grounds for objecting to the request with specificity, including reasons. If the responding party states that the party will produce copies of documents or of electronically stored information instead of permitting inspection, the production must be completed no later than the time for inspection stated in the request or a later reasonable time stated in the response.(3) Any ground not stated in a timely objection is waived unless the court, for good cause, excuses the failure. A party may respond to a request in whole or in part subject to an objection without waiving that objection. Any response so provided is subject to the duty to supplement set forth in rule 1.503(4), but the party does not waive the objection by supplementing.(4) An objection must state whether any responsive materials are being withheld on the basis of the objection. An objection to part of a request must specify the part and permit inspection of the rest. When a response is provided subject to an objection, the responding party must specify the extent to which the requested information has not been provided.(5) The response may state an objection to a requested form for producing electronically stored information. If the responding party objects to a requested form for producing electronically stored information, or if no form was specified in the request, the responding party must state the form or forms it intends to use.c. Motion to compel. The party submitting the request may move for an order under rule 1.517 with respect to any objection to or other failure to respond to the request or any part thereof, or any failure to permit inspection as requested.d. Production. Unless the parties otherwise agree, or the court otherwise orders:
(1) A party who produces documents for inspection shall produce them as they are kept in the usual course of business or shall organize and label them to correspond with the categories in the request.(2) If a request does not specify the form for producing electronically stored information, the responding party must produce the information in a form in which it is ordinarily maintained or in a form that is reasonably usable.(3) A party need not produce the same electronically stored information in more than one form.1. 512(3)Pattern requests. The supreme court, by supervisory order or otherwise, may approve pattern requests for production for different classes of cases.
Iowa. R. Civ. P. 1.512
Report 1943; amendment 1973; October 31, 1997, effective January 24, 1998; November 9, 2001, effective February 15, 2002; February 14, 2008, effective May 1, 2008; August 28, 2014, effective January 1, 2015.
