Diana L. Miller

Diana is a full-time family law attorney, dedicated to her clients and their needs. Knowing there is only a short period of time to paint the picture of a client’s life in the courtroom, Diana strives to paint the most vivid, credible picture possible.

She has tried cases in thirteen counties throughout eastern Iowa, ranging from Ottumwa to Burlington and Cedar Rapids to Keokuk. Effective at achieving successful outcomes both in and out of court, Diana has tried family law cases at the trial level, Iowa Court of Appeals and Iowa Supreme Court. She has an array of experience in various jurisdictions and is licensed in Kansas and Missouri and is familiar with interstate custody and support including the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA) and Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA).

A savvy attorney dedicated to client service and satisfaction, Diana is known for her strong advocacy and commitment to her clients. Mindful of the reality that family law matters are often the first experience clients have with an attorney, Diana takes the time to fully explain the process and terminology to her clients and helps reduce their anxieties by teaching them about the process and what to expect. As a mother, she can empathize with the effect of divorce and custody matters on a client’s children and is a resource to clients concerning how to positively impact their children’s experience with the changes in their family.

Diana has worked with a wide range of clients including accountants, executives, business owners, contractors, engineers, farmers, lawyers, homemakers, laborers, correctional officers, and teachers.

Diana is known for her detailed knowledge of the vast array of family law matters her clients confront. She uses this knowledge to employ a hands-on approach to craft litigation strategies and real life solutions that yield results and serve her clients’ personal and family goals. She takes time to understand the background and desired outcomes of each client's matter and explains options available to develop a personalized plan for action. She is well-versed in matters involving public and private pensions, qualified domestic relations orders, and alimony, and can effectively negotiate mutually agreeable solutions.

In addition to her litigation work, Diana also serves as a mediator, allowing the parties, rather than the courts, to be in control of the end result. She is trained and certified in Collaborative Divorce for clients who wish to resolve their family law matters outside of litigation. She is one of a small number of attorneys in the southeast Iowa area with experience in Collaborative Divorce, often utilizing a multi-disciplinary approach, by including mental health professionals and certified financial planners in the process. The process involves an open exchange of information and utilizes a problem-solving approach to avoid the conflict and uncertainty found in contested litigation matters.

She is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell and has been selected for inclusion in the Great Plains Super Lawyers in the area of Family Law (Rising Stars: 2013—2015).

Affiliations

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Honors & Recognitions

• AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell
• Selected for inclusion in the Family Law section of The Best Lawyers in America (2021—2025) 
• Selected for inclusion in the Great Plains Super Lawyers in the area of Family Law (Rising Stars: 2013—2015)
• Polk County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project: recognized for pro bono work hours in 2012—2013, 2020—2021; recognized for 50 or more pro bono work hours in 2014—2015.
• Iowa Legal Aid: recognized for pro bono work hours in 2023—2024
  

Cases Presentations & Publications

Published Cases

• In re Marriage of Morris, 2010 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 13 (Iowa 2012) – (interpretation of whether provision in Stipulation dividing military retirement benefits included survivorship benefits)
• Loscher v. Hudson, 30 Kan.App.2d 417, 182 P.3d 25 (Kan. Ct App 2008) – (interpretation of indemnity provision in Separation Agreement)
• Royalty v. Royalty, 264 S.W.3d 679 (Mo. W.D. 2008) – (QDRO modification)

Selected Publications and Presentations

• Panelist, "We Need Someone to Observe the Kids on This Trip: A CFR's Perspective," Iowa State Bar Association Annual Meeting June 2024
• Moderator, "FLRO discussion," District 8 Family Law Seminar, June 2022
• Presenter, "Gathering Social Media, Text, and Email Evidence," and "Discovery, Evidence and Experts - Finding Hidden Assets and More," National Business Institute, Cedar Rapids, IA, December 2019
• Presenter, "Advanced Child and Spousal Support Issues and Ethics," National Business Institute Advanced Family Law Seminar, Cedar Rapids, IA, December 2017
• Presenter, “Changes to Iowa Code Section 598.12” Iowa 8th Judicial District Bench Bar Conference, October 2017
• Speaker, “Preventing Critical Financial Mistakes in the Divorce Decree,” 21st Annual Family Law Seminar (Iowa Association of Justice), April 2011
• Author and Presenter, “Dividing Assets and Debts Equitably,” National Business Institute, April 2011
• Author and Presenter, “Exploring Custody, Visitation and Support Issues,” National Business Institute, April 2011
• Presenter, “Animal Cruelty Response – A Legal Perspective,” Iowa Veterinary Medical Association, Winter 2011 and 2012
• Author, “Competing Cultural Interests in the Whaling Debate:  An exception to the universality of the right to culture,” Journal of Transnational Law and Contemporary Problems, 2005