District 7
Chief Judge, Bobbi M Alpers: District 7
Judge Alpers, Davenport, was appointed to the bench in 1992
and named as chief judge in 2006. Born in Vinton, Iowa, she received her
bachelor's degree at the University of Dubuque in 1973. She earned her masters
in 1975 and her law degree in 1983 from the University of Iowa. After
graduation, she clerked for the Seventh Judicial District, served as assistant
Scott County attorney, and practiced law as a sole practitioner. From 1987 to
1992 she served as a Scott County magistrate. Judge Alpers is a member of the
Scott County and Iowa State Bar Associations, as well as the Iowa Judges
Association, National Association for Women Judges, the American Judicature
Society and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.
District Court Judge, Mark D. Cleve: District 7
Judge Cleve, Davenport, was appointed to the bench in 1998.
He was born in Davenport, Iowa. He received both his undergraduate and law
education from the University of Iowa. After graduating from law school in
1981, he served as Assistant County Attorney for Black Hawk County. He was in
private practice in Davenport, from 1984-1998. Judge Cleve is a member of the
Scott County and Iowa Bar Associations, the Iowa Judges Association, and the
Dillon Inn of Court.
District Court Judge, J. Hobart Darbyshire: District 7
Judge Darbyshire, Davenport, was originally appointed to the
bench in 1979, and served until 1985. After returning to private practice, he
was again appointed as a District Judge in 1995. Born in Lake City, Iowa, he
earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Morningside College in 1964. He
attended the University of Iowa College of Law, and received his Juris Doctor
degree in 1967. Following law school, he served as a Law Clerk for the
Honorable Clay LeGrand, Iowa Supreme Court Justice, from 1967-68; practiced law
in Rockwell City, Mapleton, and Davenport; and served as a part-time U.S.
magistrate for the Southern District of Iowa from 1972-79. Judge Darbyshire is
a member of the Iowa State Bar Association and the Iowa Judges' Association. He
is married, with three children and four grandchildren.
District Court Judge,
Marlita A. Greve: District 7
Judge Greve, Bettendorf, was appointed to the bench in 2006.
She received her undergraduate degree from Upper Iowa University Magna Cum Laude and her law degree from
the University Of Iowa College Of Law in 1992 with High Distinction. After
graduation from law school, she was in private practice from 1992-2006. Judge Greve is a member of the Scott County
Bar Association, the Iowa State Bar Association, and the Iowa Judges
Association. She is married and has one child.
District Court Judge, Mary E. Howes: District 7
Judge Howes, Davenport, was
appointed to the district court bench in September, 2006. She served as
Associate Court Judge for Scott County from January 2000 until her appointment
to district court. She served as a Scott County Magistrate from 1993 to 2000.
Judge Howes also was an Assistant County Attorney for seven years. She received
her undergraduate degree from Drake University in 1979, and her law degree from
the University of Iowa in 1982.
District Court
Judge, James E. Kelley: District 7
Judge Kelley, Bettendorf, was appointed to the bench in
August, 1981. He was born in Des Moines, Iowa. He earned his Bachelor of Arts
degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1963, his Juris Doctor degree from
the University of Iowa College of Law in 1966 (graduating Order of the Coif),
and a Masters in Judicial Studies from the University of Nevada-Reno and
National Judicial College in 1993. After earning his law degree, he went into
the private practice of law with a law firm in Davenport for 15 years prior to
his appointment to the bench. Judge Kelley is a member of the Iowa Judges
Association (President 1996-97); the American Bar Association, Judicial
Division; the Conference of state Trial Court Judges (Jury Standards Committee
and Jury Management Committee, 1994-97); and the Iowa Judicial Council
Subcommittee on Records Management and Retention (chair). Judge Kelley is
married with two adult children.
District Court Judge, Gary D. McKenrick: District 7
Judge McKenrick, Bettendorf, was appointed to the bench in
1993. He was appointed as District Court Judge in 1999. Born in DeWitt, Iowa, Judge McKenrick
received his bachelor's degree from Cornell College in 1979 and his law degree
from University of Iowa in 1982. He then clerked for the Seventh Judicial
District for a year, before going into private practice from 1983 to 1993. He
is married and has two children.
District Court Judge, Charles H. Pelton: District 7
Judge Pelton, Clinton, was appointed to the bench in 1974.
He was born in Clinton, Iowa, and attended the University of Iowa. He earned
his bachelor's degree in 1962 and his law degree in 1966. In addition to
practicing law, he served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 1966-1972
and chaired the OSHA Review Commission for one year. Judge Pelton is a member
of the American Bar Association, the American Law Institute, and sat on the
board of directors at the National Center for State Courts. Judge Pelton is
married and has five children.
District Court Judge, David H. Sivright, Jr.: District 7
Judge Sivright, Clinton, was appointed to the bench in 1992.
He was born in Gary, Indiana, and received his bachelor's degree from the
University of Kansas in 1966. In 1969 he earned his law degree from the same
institution. He practiced law with a private firm in Clinton, Iowa. Judge
Sivright belongs to the Clinton County, Iowa State, and American Bar
Associations. He serves on the Judicial Ethics and Courts and Community
Committees of the Iowa Judges Association. He was awarded the key to the City
of Clinton in 1989 and the Reeves Gold Key Award from the Clinton Community
School District in 1990. He is married with two children.
District Court Judge, Mark J. Smith: District 7
Judge Smith, LeClaire, was appointed to the bench in 1997.
Born in Davenport, Iowa, he earned his bachelor's degree from St. Ambrose
University in 1972 and his law degree from St. Louis University in 1975. He has
experience with real estate and personal injury cases, as well as trial work as
both a prosecutor and criminal defense attorney.
District Court Judge, Nancy S. Tabor: District 7
Judge Tabor was appointed an associate juvenile judge in
1994 and named district court judge in 1999. Born in Morristown, New Jersey,
she earned her undergraduate degree from William Paterson College of New Jersey
in 1982 and her law degree in 1986 from the University of Wyoming, College of
Law. Judge Tabor served as assistant city attorney in Cheyenne, Wyoming and as
assistant Clinton county attorney. She was in private practice from 1987-1989
in Wyoming and later in Iowa until 1999. She served on the Supreme Court Task
Force for Juvenile Court Improvement Project. She is a member of the Wyoming
Bar Association, the Iowa Bar Association and an ISBA mediator. She is married
and has two children.
District Associate Judge, Arlen J. Van Zee: District 7
Judge Van Zee was appointed to the bench in 1975. He earned
his bachelor's degree from Central College in Pella, Iowa, in 1970. He earned
his law degree from the University of Iowa, College of Law, graduating with
Distinction in 1973. He is a member of the Clinton County Bar Association, Iowa
State Bar Association, and Iowa Judges Association. He serves on the Juvenile
Laws Committee in the Judges Association and also the Supreme Court Advisory
Committee on Rules of Juvenile Procedure. He is married with three children and
five grandchildren.
District Associate Judge, John G. Mullen: District 7
Judge Mullen, Davenport, was appointed to the bench in 1986.
He was born in Tucson, Arizona, and received his bachelor's degree from the
University of Illinois in 1971. He then attended Drake University Law School
and graduated in 1974. He worked for the Iowa Attorney General's Office until
1978. Judge Mullen went into private practice from 1978 to 1986. He is a member
of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.
District Associate
Judge, Gary P. Strausser: District 7
Judge Strausser was appointed to the bench in 2005. He earned his bachelor's degree from Towson
State University and his Law Degree from Drake University Law School. He also earned his Master's Degree from the
School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Drake University. After graduating from Law School he served
as an Assistant Clinton County Attorney from 1992 to 2005 and was First
Assistant from 1999 until 2005. Judge Strausser is married and has one son.
District Associate Judge, Christine
Dalton Ploof: District 7
Christine Dalton Ploof, Davenport, was appointed to the
bench in November 2006. She received her bachelor's degree from Coe College in
1986, and her law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1989.
Prior to her appointment to the bench, she worked at the State Public
Defender's Muscatine Office; at the Muscatine County Attorney's office; and as
a staff attorney at Muscatine Legal Services. Memberships include the Iowa
State Bar Association, the Muscatine County Bar Association, the National
Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Iowa Public Defenders'
Association.
Senior District Associate Judge, Douglas McDonald: District
7
Judge
McDonald, Bettendorf, was appointed to the bench in 1988, and served until his
retirement on November 6, 2007. He was then appointed by the Iowa Supreme Court
as Senior Judge for a two-year term, effective November 6, 2007. He earned his
bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado and his law degree from Drake
University.
Senior District Court Judge, John A.
Nahra: District 7
Judge Nahra, Bettendorf, was appointed to the district
associate bench in 1985 and to the district court bench in 1986. He served as chief judge of the 7th
District from 1997 through 2003. He retired as a District Court Judge effective
October 5, 2006. He was then appointed by the Iowa Supreme Court as Senior
Judge for a two-year term, effective October 5, 2006. Born in Davenport, he
earned his undergraduate degree from DePaul University and his law degree from
Creighton University. In 1978 he began
serving as assistant Scott County attorney and then went into private practice
from 1979 to 1985. While in private
practice, he served as a substitute hospitalization referee. Judge Nahra is a member of the Iowa Judges
Association and has served on the Juvenile Law Committee, Board of Directors,
Criminal Laws Committee, Judicial Administration and Technology Committee,
Legislative Policy Committee, and Pension Committee. He is a past president of the Iowa Judges Association. He also belongs to the National Council of
Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the American Judicature Society, the American
Bar Association, the Iowa State Bar Association and the Scott County Bar
Association. In 1992 he received the
Friend to Children Award of the Iowa Coalition for Children and Family Services
in Iowa, in 1997 he was granted the Award of Merit of the Iowa Judges
Association, and in 2006 he was the recipient of the Children's Voice Award of
the Iowa Foster Care Review Board and the Iowa Court-appointed Advocate
Association. Judge Nahra is married and
has four children.
Magistrate Neva Rettig Baker
Magistrate Neva Rettig Baker, Muscatine, was appointed to
serve Muscatine County in 1997. She went to the University of Iowa where she
earned her bachelor's degree in 1984 and her law degree in 1987. She was
executive director for Muscatine Legal Services, a judicial hospitalization
referee, and is a sole practitioner. She is a member of the Muscatine County
and Iowa State Bar Associations, the Ethics Committee, Kiwanis, Muscatine
County Board of Health and a board member for Cross Roads, Inc. She and her
husband have two children.
Magistrate Corliss C.
Baty
Magistrate Corliss C. Baty was appointed to serve Jackson
County in 2005.
Magistrate Ronald J. Besch
Magistrate Ronald J. Besch was appointed to serve Jackson
County in 1976.
Magistrate G. David Binegar
Magistrate G. David Binegar, Davenport, was appointed to serve
Scott County in 1993. He earned his bachelor's degree from Iowa State
University in 1976 and his law degree from the University of Iowa in 1979. He
has been in private practice since 1980 and is married with three children.
Magistrate Carrie E.
Coyle
Magistrate Carrie E. Coyle, Blue Grass, was appointed to
serve Scott County in November, 2007.
Magistrate Eugene F. Dwyer
Magistrate
Eugene F. Dwyer, Bettendorf, was appointed to serve Scott County in January, 2000.
Gene received his undergraduate degree from Western Illinois University in
1967; his master's degree from the University of Northern Colorado in 1972; and
his law degree from Loyola University of New Orleans in 1980. He has been in
private practice. Gene is a member of
the Iowa State Bar Association, Scott County Bar Association, Illinois State
Bar Association, and Dillon Inn of Court.
Magistrate Dennis D. Jasper
Magistrate Dennis Jasper was appointed to serve
Scott County in 2005. He earned his B.D.A. Degree from the University of Iowa
in 1971, and his law degree from the University of South Carolina in 1974. He
has been in law practice since 1974 with the firm of Stafne, Lewis and Jasper.
Dennis Jasper is a member of the Scott County and Iowa State Bar Associations.
He has served as Secretary of the Scott County Bar Association since 1988 and
as a member of its Executive Council for five years. He has also served as a
participant at the Young Lawyers' Luncheon, a volunteer participant for Mock
Trials, a Davenport Civil Rights Commission Volunteer, volunteer legal counsel
representing defendants in domestic violence actions, a participant in the
Scott County Bar Association's Lawyer Referral Service and a participating
attorney in the Pro Bono Program co-sponsored by HELP Legal Assistance and the
Scott County Bar Association.
Magistrate Michael M. Judge
Magistrate Michael M. Judge, Clinton, was appointed to serve
Clinton County in 1993. He earned his undergraduate degree from Coe College in
1976 and his law degree from Drake University in 1988. Judge served as a
juvenile court referee from 1990 to 1993 and is a member of the Clinton County
and Iowa State Bar Associations. He is married with three children.
Magistrate David W. Newell
Magistrate David W. Newell serves Muscatine County. He graduated
from Parsons College in 1983 with his bachelor's degree and earned his law
degree from the University of Iowa in 1966. Newell is a member of the Iowa
State Bar Association.
Magistrate Bradley L. Norton
Magistrate Bradley L. Norton serves Cedar County. He was
appointed in May, 2003.
Magistrate Cynthia Zamora Taylor
Magistrate Cynthia Zamora Taylor was appointed to serve
Scott County in 1998. She received her undergraduate degree from St. Ambrose
College in 1981, and her law degree from the University of Iowa in 1986. Taylor
has been in private practice since 1988.
Magistrate J.E. Tobey III
Magistrate J.E. Tobey III, Davenport, was appointed to serve
Scott County in 1993. He graduated from Ohio Northern University in 1969 and
earned his law degree from the University of Iowa in 1973. In addition to
practicing law, Tobey has served with Muscatine County Legal Aid and Public
Defender, Iowa Assistant Attorney General's Office, and as Scott County
assistant attorney. He is married and has one child.
Magistrate Bert Watson
Magistrate Bert Watson, Dewitt, was appointed to serve
Clinton County in 1981. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of
Northern Iowa in 1972 and his law degree from the University of Iowa in 1976.
He worked for Clinton County Legal Aid until 1981 and has since been engaged in
the private practice of law. Watson is a member of the Clinton County, Iowa
State, and American Bar Associations, and serves on the board for the Southside
Development Corporation and Dewitt Community Hospital Foundation. He is
married.
Magistrate Richard D. Wells
Magistrate Richard D. Wells was appointed to serve Scott
County in 1989.
Magistrate Stuart P. Werling
Magistrate Stuart Werling was appointed to serve Cedar
County in 1986. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa in
1978 and his law degree from the University of Arkansas in 1980. He has
practiced law in Tipton since 1981. Stuart
Werling is a member of the Cedar County and Iowa State Bar Associations and has
served as president of the Cedar County Bar and a Governor of the Iowa State
Bar. Mr. Werling serves the Iowa State Bar Association on the Section Council
of the General Practice section and is a member of the Real Estate, Tax and
Family Law sections of the Bar. He is a director of the Iowa Association of
Magistrate Judges and a member of the American Bar Association, American Trial
Lawyers Association, the Iowa Association of Trial Lawyers and the Dillon Inn
of Court. He is the recipient of the first Meritorious Service Award from the
Judicial Department presented in 2004. Mr. Werling is married with two
children.
