For AI agents: read the machine-readable documentation index at /llms.txt or the single-file full reference at /llms-full.txt.
Form a Business

JUDICIAL APPRAISAL

Iowa Code tit. XII, ch. 490, subch. XIII, pt. 3
in effect

Iowa Code § 490.1330 Court action.

490.1330. Court action. 1. If a shareholder makes a demand for payment under section 490.1326 which remains unsettled, the corporation shall commence a proceeding within sixty days after receiving the payment demand and petition the court to determine the fair value of the shares and accrued interest. If the corporation does not commence the proceeding within the sixty-day period, it shall pay in cash to each shareholder the amount the shareholder demanded pursuant to section 490.1326 plus interest. 2. The corporation shall commence the proceeding in the district court of the county where the corporation’s principal office or, if none, its registered office in this state is located. If the corporation is a foreign corporation without a registered office in this state, it shall commence the proceeding in the county in this state where the principal office or registered office of the domestic corporation merged with the foreign corporation was located at the time of the transaction. 3. The corporation shall make all shareholders, regardless of whether they are residents of this state, whose demands remain unsettled parties to the proceeding as in an action against their shares, and all parties shall be served with a copy of the petition. Nonresidents may be served by registered or certified mail or by publication as provided by law. 4. The jurisdiction of the court in which the proceeding is commenced under subsection 2 is plenary and exclusive. The court may appoint one or more persons as appraisers to receive evidence and recommend a decision on the question of fair value. The appraisers shall have the powers described in the order appointing them, or in any amendment to it. The shareholders demanding appraisal rights are entitled to the same discovery rights as parties in other civil proceedings. There shall be no right to a jury trial. 5. Each shareholder made a party to the proceeding is entitled to judgment for any of the following: a. The amount, if any, by which the court finds the fair value of the shareholder’s shares exceeds the amount paid by the corporation to the shareholder for such shares, plus interest. b. The fair value, plus interest, of the shareholder’s shares for which the corporation elected to withhold payment under section 490.1325. 89 Acts, ch 288, §143; 2000 Acts, ch 1211, §1; 2002 Acts, ch 1154, §88, 125; 2014 Acts, ch 1001, §2; 2021 Acts, ch 165, §168, 230

Iowa Code § 490.1331 Court costs and expenses.

490.1331. Court costs and expenses. 1. The court in an appraisal proceeding commenced under section 490.1330 shall determine all court costs of the proceeding, including the reasonable compensation and expenses of appraisers appointed by the court. The court shall assess the court costs against the corporation, except that the court may assess court costs against all or some of the shareholders demanding appraisal, in amounts which the court finds equitable, to the extent the court finds such shareholders acted arbitrarily, vexatiously, or not in good faith with respect to the rights provided by this subchapter. 2. The court in an appraisal proceeding may also assess the expenses of the respective parties in amounts the court finds equitable, against any of the following: a. The corporation and in favor of any or all shareholders demanding appraisal if the court finds the corporation did not substantially comply with the requirements of section 490.1320, 490.1322, 490.1324, or 490.1325. b. Either the corporation or a shareholder demanding appraisal, in favor of any other party, if the court finds that the party against whom expenses are assessed acted arbitrarily, vexatiously, or not in good faith with respect to the rights provided by this subchapter. 3. If the court in an appraisal proceeding finds that the expenses incurred by any shareholder were of substantial benefit to other shareholders similarly situated and that such expenses should not be assessed against the corporation, the court may direct that such expenses be paid out of the amounts awarded the shareholders who were benefited. 4. To the extent the corporation fails to make a required payment pursuant to section 490.1324, 490.1325, or 490.1326, the shareholder may sue directly for the amount owed, and to the extent successful, shall be entitled to recover from the corporation all expenses of the suit. 89 Acts, ch 288, §144; 2002 Acts, ch 1154, §89, 125; 2013 Acts, ch 31, §65, 82; 2019 Acts, ch 24, §104; 2021 Acts, ch 165, §169, 230
Source: Iowa Legislature (legis.iowa.gov)URL: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/law/iowaCode/sections?codeChapter=490&year=2026Fetched: 10/20/2026

Starting a business in Iowa? Iowa LLC guide: costs and requirements