The Ombudsman has jurisdiction to investigate complaints against county entities, officials, and employees. Before you make a complaint to us, we want to make sure the person you are complaining about has had an opportunity to review and resolve your complaint. For this reason, we ask that you first try to address your complaint with the people directly involved and/or supervisory staff, including the county official in charge of the agency or the board of supervisors.
How to Complain to County Government
Contact your county agency directly with your complaint if you have not already done so. You can find contact information for most Iowa counties at:
https://www.iowacounties.org/member-resources/county-directory/
You can find information on some county operations that may aid in addressing your questions or concerns at:
https://www.iowacounties.org/member-resources/manuals/
We can take complaints against county attorneys, but it is important to understand that they represent the public at large, not any individuals. They have broad discretion on what criminal cases they choose to accept and our office will rarely interfere in that discretion. To learn more about county attorney standards and review model policies, visit:
In addition, the Iowa Attorney Disciplinary Board has jurisdiction to receive complaints against county attorneys for violating professional standards.
https://www.iowacourts.gov/opr/attorneys/attorney-discipline
Already completed this process?
If you have already gone through this process and want to file a complaint with our office, click here:
Tips for Making a Complaint
► Ask if you can speak with a supervisor or manager about your issue.
► Clearly explain what your issue is and what you’d like the outcome to be.
► Write down the names of the people you speak with, when you spoke with them and what they said.
► Make the conversation about what you need, be persistent but remain calm and polite.
► If you are still unsatisfied, ask what appeal and review processes are available and pay close attention to their criteria and deadlines.
Not Sure? Contact Us!
Please contact us directly if you don’t think it would be appropriate for us to require you to go through an available complaint or review process before we consider your complaint. We can consider your specific circumstances before we decide – including the urgency of your complaint or any disabilities or barriers you may be experiencing.
