News Release
August 17,
2010
Contact: Steve
Davis, Court Communications Officer, (515)725-8058
Information
about Iowa Judges and Retention Election Available on Iowa Judicial Branch
Website
Des
Moines, August 17, 2010—Iowa
voters can find information about the professional qualifications and
background of every judge on the November 2 retention ballot at the Iowa
Judicial Branch website—www.iowacourts.gov
The 2010 Iowa
Voters Judicial Directory contains biographies of each the 74 justices and judges
on the ballot. These biographies include information about each judge's
education, career, and professional and community activities. The
directory also contains information about Iowa's judicial retention elections
as well as considerations that voters may want to take into account when
deciding whether to retain a justice or judge.
Later this
year, Iowa voters will have additional information about judges on the
ballot. In early October, the Iowa State Bar Association will release the
results of a survey of Iowa lawyers. This judicial survey asks members of
the association to rate judges on a number of issues, including knowledge and
application of the law, temperament, communication skills, timeliness of
rulings, and impartiality. The survey also asks lawyers to state whether
each judge should be retained.
In 1962, Iowa
voters approved a constitutional reform that replaced the process of selecting
judges by popular vote with a merit selection and retention election process.
The merit selection system involves a nonpartisan commission that reviews the
qualifications of applicants for judicial office. Once the commission screens
and interviews applicants, it forwards a slate of nominees to the governor who
makes the final appointment.
Once appointed
to the bench, all justices and judges must stand for retention election at the
first general election following the judge's appointment, and then near the end
of each of the judicial officer's regular term. In a retention election,
judges do not have opponents. Instead, voters decide whether to retain a
judge in office. If a judge receives a simple majority of "yes" votes, the
judge may serve another full term.
Merit
selection elections focus on the professional qualifications of
applicants—experience, legal skills and knowledge, and judicial temperament and
promotes a fair, impartial and accountable judiciary.
# # #
2010
Iowa
Supreme Court
1111
East Court Avenue
Des
Moines, IA 50319
515-281-3952
