News Release
April 27, 2011
Contact: Steve Davis, Court
Communications Officer, (515)725-8058
Twenty-Six Iowans Apply for Court of
Appeals
Des Moines, April 27, 2011— Twenty-six
Iowans have applied with the State Judicial Nominating Commission to fill the
vacancy on the Iowa Court of Appeals that occurred when Judge Edward Mansfield
was appointed to the Iowa Supreme Court.
The nominating commission will meet
on May 9 and 10, 2011, in the Iowa Supreme Court Courtroom on the fourth floor
of the Judicial Branch Building to interview the applicants. The public is
invited to observe the interviews in the courtroom. Immediately following the
interviews, the commission will begin deliberations to select a slate of three
nominees from the group of applicants. Once the commission selects its slate of
nominees, the commission will forward those names to the governor. The governor
will then have thirty (30) days in which to appoint a new judge.
A summary resume, completed
questionnaire and writing samples for each candidate will be posted on the
Judicial Branch website on Monday, May 2, 2011 at:
www.iowacourts.gov/State_Judicial_Nominating_Commission/Application_Information/
The commission welcomes written
comments from the public about the qualifications of any of the applicants.
Comments must be submitted to the State Court Administrator, who serves as the
commission secretary, by May 6, 2011. Comments may be e-mailed to
SupCtNom@iowacourts.gov. Comments may also be mailed to the State Court Administrator,
Iowa Judicial Branch Building, 1111 E. Court Ave., Des Moines, Iowa 50319.
The 15-member commission is composed
of a chair, who is the senior justice of the supreme court other than the chief
justice, seven lawyer commissioners elected by lawyers licensed to practice law
in Iowa and seven non-lawyer commissioners appointed by the governor and
confirmed by the Iowa Senate. With the exception of the commission chair,
membership on the commission is limited to one six-year term. Terms are
staggered. The Iowa Constitution requires that commission members be chosen
without regard to political affiliation.
The applicants for the court are:
Craig Charles Ament,
Cedar Falls, Age 55
Attorney—Ament
Law Firm
J.D., 1980, University of Iowa
Steven August Berger, Bettendorf,
Age 51
Attorney— Wehr,
Berger, Lane and Stevens
J.D., 1985, University of Iowa
John William Bernau,
Manchester, Age 49
Delaware County Attorney
J.D., 1990, University of Iowa
Nathan Alden Callahan, Cedar Falls,
Age 58
District Associate Judge (appointed
2000)—First District
J.D., 1984, Northwestern School of
Law at Lewis and Clark College
Susan Christensen, Harlan, Age 49
District Associate Judge (appointed
2007)—Fourth Judicial District
J.D., 1991, Creighton University
George F. Davison, Jr., Des Moines,
Age 61
Attorney—Davison Law
J.D., 1979, Drake University
Diane Linda Dornburg,
Urbandale, Age 59
Attorney—Carney and Appleby, P.L.C.
J.D., 1976, University of Michigan
Thomas James Duff, Des Moines, Age
48
Attorney—Duff Law Firm, P.L.C.
J.D., 1988, Drake University
Sharon Soorholtz
Greer, Marshalltown, Age 55
Attorney—Cartwright, Druker & Ryden, Marshalltown
J.D., 1982, University of Iowa
David James Hanson, Fayette, Age 49
Attorney—Hoffmeyer
& Hanson PC
J.D., 1987, Drake University
Peter Christopher Hart, Emmetsburg,
Age 58
Assistant County Attorney for
Dickinson and Emmet counties
J.D., 1979, DePaul University
Patrick J. Hopkins, Urbandale, Age
60
Attorney—Hopkins Law Office, P.L.C.
J.D., 1975, Creighton University
Michael Ray Keller, Des Moines, Age
50
Attorney—Schott Mauss
& Associates, P.C.
J.D., 1987, University of Virginia
Bruce Kempkes,
Earlham, Age 55
Assistant Attorney General
J.D., 1980, University of Iowa
David L. Leitner,
Johnston, Age 55
Attorney—Leitner
Law Office
J.D., 1979, University of Iowa
Kellyann M. Lekar, Waterloo, Age 43
District Judge (appointed
2005)—First Judicial District
J.D., 1993, University of Iowa
Don Richard McGuire Jr., Algona, Age
52
General Counsel—Pharmacists Mutual
Insurance Company
J.D., 1993, University of Indiana
James Paul Moriarty, Cedar Rapids,
Age, 55
Attorney—James P. Moriarty, PC
J.D., 1982, Suffolk University
Michael R. Mullins, Washington, Age
58
District Judge (appointed
2002)—Eighth Judicial District
J.D., 1982, Drake University
Iris J. Post, Des Moines, Age 54
Attorney—Bradshaw, Fowler, Proctor
& Fairgrave, P.C.,
J.D., 1980, University of Iowa
Elisabeth S. Reynoldson,
Osceola, Age 43
Assistant Attorney General
J.D., 1992, University of Iowa
Frank Cal Tenuta,
Sioux City, Age 51
Managing Attorney, Iowa Legal Aid
J.D., 1985, University of Minnesota
Greta Truman, Waukee, Age 40
Assistant State Public Defender
J.D., 1996, University of Iowa
Janece Valentine, Fort Dodge, Age 43
Attorney—Valentine Law Office, P.C.
J.D., 1992, University of Iowa
Jeanie Kunkle
Vaudt, West Des Moines, Age 57
Assistant Attorney General
J.D., 1991, Drake University
ConGarry D. Williams, West Des Moines, Age 45
Assistant Public Defender
J.D., 2000, Drake University
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2011
Iowa Supreme Court
1111 East Court Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50319
515-281-3952
