State Court Administrator Bob Gast named Ross Loder as deputy state court administrator for the Iowa Judicial Branch. The deputy state court administrator assists the state court administrator in the day-to-day management of Iowa's state court system and its more than 1,700 employees.
This month to honor Veterans Day, I sat down with Judge Tod Deck and Judge Jeffrey Poulson to discuss their work in the District 3 Veterans Specialty Court.
On October 12, 2021, District 2B Judicial Nominating Commissioners signed a letter to Governor Reynolds submitting two nominees to fill a district court vacancy. After the Nominating Commission submitted the names of the nominees, the judicial branch was contacted by the governor’s office regarding complaints about the conduct of Commission Chair Judge Kurt Stoebe. Judge Stoebe and each member of the commission were contacted and, in light of the concerns raised by commission members, Judge Stoebe agreed to step down as chair of future nominating commissions.
The Iowa Judicial Qualifications Commission is an independent government body responsible for investigating allegations of judicial misconduct. The Iowa Supreme Court does not (and cannot) discipline judicial officers without first receiving a public report from the Judicial Qualifications Commission after its investigation. The operations and procedures of the Commission are set forth in Iowa Code Sections 602.2103 and 2104. More information regarding the Judicial Qualifications Commission can be found on their website: www.iowajqc.gov.
Seven Iowans applied with the State Judicial Nominating Commission to fill the vacancy on the Iowa Court of Appeals that will occur upon the retirement of Judge Michael Mullins.
Chief Justice Susan Christensen has appointed District Judge Myron Gookin, Fairfield, as chief judge of the Eighth Judicial District. Judge Gookin succeeds Chief Judge Mary Ann Brown who will retire December 31, 2021. Judge Gookin will begin the position of chief judge January 1, 2022.
Seven Iowans have applied with the State Judicial Nominating Commission to fill the vacancy on the Iowa Court of Appeals that will occur when Judge Michael R. Mullins retires on January 13, 2022.
October is Pro Bono Month, and in honor of this, Shelley Whitcher and Brynne Howard sat down with us to discuss Iowa's Access to Justice Commission and the new 2022 Pro Bono Pledge for Iowa attorneys.
The State Judicial Nominating Commission, which is responsible for selecting nominees for appointment to the Iowa Court of Appeals, announced today it will begin accepting applications for the vacancy on the court that will occur when Judge Michael R. Mullins retires on January 13, 2022. The Commission received notice of the vacancy from Governor Reynolds on September 23, 2021. The Commission has sixty days to send a slate of nominees to the Governor, who makes appointments to the court.
This year, as The Iowa State Bar Association celebrates Pro Bono Month and the legacy of the late Chief Justice Mark Cady, Chief Justice Christensen, on behalf of the Iowa Supreme Court, is encouraging attorneys to pledge to provide at least 22 hours of pro bono service in 2022. You can read Chief Justice Christensen’s letter to Iowa attorneys in full here.
In this month’s episode, we are sitting down with court of appeals judge Michael Mullins out of Washington, Iowa. To learn about his nontraditional path to the bench, the effect his background in social work had on his approach to his legal practice, and the case that left a lasting impact on him over the course of his career, keep listening.