But, he said, that doesn't always work. . Judge Voter Guide gives this candidate a rating of 9 out of 10. A chief judge, who is selected by the Iowa Supreme Court, heads each district. Judge Grady, Cedar Rapids, was appointed as a full-time juvenile referee in 1989, was appointed to the district court bench in 1995, and was named Chief Judge of the Sixth Judicial District in 2009. It has general jurisdiction of all civil, criminal, and juvenile cases and probate matters in the state. DES MOINES, Iowa – Governor Kim Reynolds on Monday appointed Tamra Roberts as District Court Judge in Iowa’s 7th Judicial District to replace Judge Nancy Tabor who retired. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa - 604 F. Supp. Four of the 16 judges who comprise the Florida 2nd District Court of Appeal are up for a merit retention election on Nov. 3. This year, four Iowa Supreme Court justices and four Court of Appeals judges are on the ballot, along with 87 district court and district associate judges. She was a member of the Board of District Court Judges and of the Grand Jury panel of judges, as well as the Utah Supreme Court's Advisory Committee on the Rules of Civil Procedure. "Lawyer in ethics scandal is named an Iowa judge", https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Iowa_District_Courts&oldid=7094972, Tracking election disputes, lawsuits, and recounts, Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential News Briefing, Submit a photo, survey, video, conversation, or bio. He received a 95 percent approval rating. All rights reserved. A nominating commission interviews applicants and sends finalists' names to the governor, who then selects the judge or justice from among the finalists. Judges are usually retained, although occasionally voters have tossed them out. The Iowa District Court is the general jurisdiction trial court for the State of Iowa. Iowa District Court Judge Robert Hanson on Monday issued an emergency stay of the requirement that Democrats said would confuse voters, especially those … Get the scoop on all the candidates in the 2020 Iowa General Elections. Biographies of the judges and a Q&A about the retention process are available in the Iowa Voters' Judicial Directory, compiled by the Judicial Branch. Four of the 16 judges who comprise the Florida 2nd District Court of Appeal are up for a merit retention election on Nov. 3. © 2021 www.desmoinesregister.com. In other states, judges are directly elected, either in partisan or nonpartisan elections. The bar's members, who include most lawyers in the state, rank judges based on their professional attributes and performance. Users should contact an attorney if … For subscribers:Absentee ballot requests are outpacing 2016 in many Iowa counties. Judge Oeth, Ogden, was appointed to the associate court bench in June of 1997 and the District Court bench in June 2010. "These campaigns have generally come from the conservative side," Keith said. Iowa Judicial Districts. The Court has jurisdiction to hear both civil and criminal matters. They have original jurisdiction in civil cases with any amount in controversy; felony criminal cases, domestic relations, family law, and cases involving minors cases (including adoption, dependency, juvenile delinquency, and probate cases). Also included is the primary election history, since it identifies the ballot type: (D)emocrat or (R)epublican. This year, four Iowa Supreme Court justices and four Court of Appeals judges are on the ballot, along with 87 district court and district associate judges. The Court has jurisdiction to hear both civil and criminal matters. When Iowa voters flip over their ballots this fall they'll find a list of judges and Supreme Court justices. Judicial retention:See the judges and justices facing retention elections in 2020 Iowa judges and justices are on the ballot this year. Visitors to this site agree that the Second Judicial District Court of the State of New Mexico is not liable for errors or omissions of any of the information provided. Judicial districts. In 2010, conservatives launched a successful campaign against retaining three Iowa Supreme Court justices who were part of the court's unanimous 2009 decision legalizing same-sex marriage in Iowa. Biographies of the judges and a Q&A about the retention process are available in the Iowa Voters' Judicial Directory, compiled by the Judicial Branch. Information on individual courts includes judge lists, succession charts, legislative history, district organization, meeting places, records and bibliography… U.S. District Courts for the Districts of Iowa: Judges of all Districts | Federal Judicial Center Here's how to find where to vote early in Iowa. Justice Thomas Waterman was appointed to the Iowa Supreme Court by Governor Terry Branstad in 2010. For assistance with problems associated with this web page please contact the OCIO Help Desk at 515-281-5703 / 1-800-532-1174 or helpdesk@iowa.gov. Appeals of decisions reached in the district courts are taken to the Iowa Court of Appeals. However, if I lived in Judicial District 6 (Linn, Johnson, Benton, Iowa, Jones, or Tama counties) I would vote against retaining Jason Besler, because Reynolds appointed him in violation of Iowa’s constitution. Several Supreme Court justices are registered members of political parties, raising questions about appearances at a time when the justices’ associations are under scrutiny, according to … She was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and attended Grinnell College. Included in this information is the political party affiliation for each judge. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller. The Supreme Court and Court of Appeals judges will appear on ballots statewide, while district court judges will only appear on ballots in the judicial district that they represent. The Iowa District Court is the general jurisdiction trial court for the State of Iowa. When Governor Branstad appointed Justice Waterman, he said, “My goal was to choose Supreme Court justices…who are most likely to faithfully interpret the laws and Constitution, and respect the separation of powers.” .courts-container hr {background-color:#f0a236;padding-bottom:2px;}, Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa, Iowa Supreme Court DES MOINES — Gov. The review can be found online at judicialfacts.org. Ballotpedia features 319,277 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. The Unified Trial Court Act of 1972, abolished all trial courts below the District Court of Iowa and established the "Iowa District Court" as a unified trial court, effective July 1, 1973. Iowa 1985) March 1, 1985 604 F. Supp. Iowa District Courts are the state trial courts of general jurisdiction in the U.S. state of Iowa.. The Iowa Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Iowa.As constitutional head of the Iowa Judicial Branch, the Court is composed of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices. Iowa district courts are trial courts in Iowa. Your subscription makes our journalism possible. When Governor Branstad appointed Justice Waterman, he said, “My goal was to choose Supreme Court justices…who are most likely to faithfully interpret the laws and Constitution, and respect the separation of powers.” During the 2016 campaign, Donald Trump released two lists of his potential Supreme Court nominees. Absentee ballots are arriving in Iowans' mailboxes. The 2020 review found that all the judges on the ballot this year "are qualified to remain as judges.". Choose Your Judges is an independent website dedicated to providing information to voters about judicial elections. Kim Reynolds last year signed a Republican-backed law giving the governor an additional appointment on the statewide nominating commission that selects Supreme Court justices and Court of Appeals judges. .courts-header { font-size:150%;background-color:#334aab;color:white;} In 1962, Iowa voters approved a constitutional amendment that replaced elections of judges with merit selection and retention elections, which help curb the influence of political parties and special interest groups in the selection of Iowa’s judges, among other things. Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. See the judges and justices facing retention elections in 2020, Early voting begins Monday. Justice Thomas Waterman was appointed to the Iowa Supreme Court by Governor Terry Branstad in 2010. Here's what you need to know about absentee ballots and voting early in Iowa. Co. What's the most common error voters make when filling them out? • Iowa district courts, Courts in Iowa • Iowa judicial elections • Judicial selection in Iowa. Judge Voter Guide gives this candidate a rating of 9 out of 10. The 14 other states that hold judicial retention elections also aren't seeing significant anti-retention campaigns this year, he said. District Court Judge, Joel W. Barrows: District 7. Here's how to learn more before you vote. The Iowa State Bar Association also provides a performance review of judges on the ballot. Absentee ballot requests are outpacing 2016 in many Iowa counties. Casting your ballot early? (Brett Kavanaugh, interestingly, wasn’t on either one.) During the 2016 campaign, Donald Trump released two lists of his potential Supreme Court nominees. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. In 1962, Iowa voters approved a constitutional amendment that replaced elections of judges with merit selection and retention elections, which help curb the influence of political parties and special interest groups in the selection of Iowa’s judges, among other things. "That is: Give voters a chance to say whether or not they want these people to keep serving, but don’t do it in a way that ties courts into partisan politics," he said. Iowa Gov. He was born in Davenport, Iowa, and attended Creighton University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in 1975. Subscribe today at DesMoinesRegister.com/Deal. Newly Appointed District Judge, Gina Badding, Fulfills Career Goal With Monday’s Announcement And Begins Preparations For The Bench April … 1391 (S.D. Republicans, who have controlled the Iowa governor's office since 2011, have appointed six of the seven current Iowa Supreme Court justices, including the four on the ballot this year. P.S.–I voted for retaining all of the District Court judges on my Polk County ballot. The 2nd District judges — … Iowa district courts are trial courts in Iowa. Meanwhile, studies of trial court judges, who are bound much more rigidly by the law of any particular case, find little or no correlation between political affiliation and judicial decisions. Iowa has used a merit selection process to choose judges since the Iowa Constitution was amended in 1962. District Court Counties Served Iowa District 1A: Allamakee, Clayton, Delaware, Dubuque, and Winneshiek: This State of Iowa Government computer system is for authorized use only. Judge Barrows, Bettendorf, was appointed to the bench in 2012. The Iowa Judicial Branch and Iowa State Bar Association provide information each election cycle on the judges who are up for retention. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; .courts-container { background-color:#fcfcfc; width:100%; border:1px solid black;padding:5px;text-align:center;clear:both; } Since I began paying close attention to Iowa Supreme Court appointments, … Appeals of decisions reached in the district courts are taken to the Iowa Court of Appeals. Although Iowa judges are appointed, not elected, each one periodically stands for a public retention vote, in which voters decide whether to keep them in office. More:Gov. The Court holds its regular sessions in Des Moines in the Iowa Judicial Branch Building located at 1111 East Court Avenue on the state Capitol grounds just south of the Iowa State Capitol Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. Here's how election offices say they've prepared. On this site you can answer a brief series of questions regarding your preferences about judicial candidates, and the website will recommend judicial candidates for state supreme court elections based on your preferences. LIMITED PUBLIC INPUT. Judge Appleby currently serves as a member of the Judicial Council. Here's what you'll find on your Iowa ballot, plus info about the candidates and their stances, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. The Supreme Court and Court … The 2nd District judges — … Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. Judge Grady, Cedar Rapids, was appointed as a full-time juvenile referee in 1989, was appointed to the district court bench in 1995, and was named Chief Judge of the Sixth Judicial District in 2009. More:See the judges and justices facing retention elections in 2020, More:Early voting begins Monday. Judge Bethany Currie, of Marshalltown, was appointed to the bench in 2018 and is up for retention along with six other district court judges and three associated judges. Online Search: Start A Case Search Here! He was born in Davenport, Iowa, and attended Creighton University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in 1975. Anti-retention campaigns are often sparked by specific judicial decisions, like legalizing same-sex marriage in Iowa, Keith said. Iowa District Court Judge Robert Hanson holds up copies of the Judicial Retention Election Guide for distribution during Constitution Day 2010 at Wartburg College in Waverly Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2010. Born in Dubuque, Iowa, Judge Oeth went to Drake University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in 1978 and his law degree in 1982. • Iowa Court of Appeals Here's how election offices say they've prepared. Terry Branstad has appointed Gregg Rosenbladt of Mason City as a district court judge in the 2A Judicial District which includes Mason City. Profession and Activities: Summer Internship, Manhattan District Attorney's Office, New York, 1972; Practiced law, Waterloo, 1973-78; Asst. Here's what you need to know about absentee ballots and voting early in Iowa, giving the governor an additional appointment, Kim Reynolds signs bill giving governors more power over Iowa Supreme Court selection, Gov. Zacharias said about 45 people were part of the commissions, while current district court judges also sat in on the interviews. This year, four Iowa Supreme Court justices and four Court of Appeals judges are on the ballot, along with 87 district court and district associate judges. However, if I lived in Judicial District 6 (Linn, Johnson, Benton, Iowa, Jones, or Tama counties) I would vote against retaining Jason Besler, because Reynolds appointed him in violation of Iowa’s constitution. In 2012, conservative groups tried to oust the one Iowa Supreme Court justice who faced retention that year, but they were unsuccessful. Iowa Courts. Iowa is one of several states that uses some form of merit selection process involving a nominating commission and a gubernatorial appointment. More:Kim Reynolds signs bill giving governors more power over Iowa Supreme Court selection, Douglas Keith, counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, said retention elections are intended to create some accountability for judges and justices while keeping them "somewhat less wrapped up in politics than other kinds of elections.". Kim Reynolds names Susan Christensen, district court judge, to Iowa Supreme Court, Kim Reynolds names appeals court judge Christopher McDonald to Iowa Supreme Court. Judge Kilnoski, Council Bluffs, was appointed as District Court Judge January 9, 2009 and served as District Associate Judge since 1996. Keith said the Brennan Center, which tracks television ad spending on judicial races around the country, has not seen any spending in Iowa this year. P.S.–I voted for retaining all of the District Court judges on my Polk County ballot. "And so the fact that these are conservative justices who are up for retention makes it much less likely that we’re going to see a campaign to unseat them.". He was appointed to the Iowa Court of Appeals in 2012 after serving as a district court judge for the Waterloo-based 1B Judicial District in 1995. 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