Skip to main content
Iowa Judicial Branch
Main Content

Iowa Court of Appeals Elects Vogel as Chief Judge

January 17, 2019

Des Moines, (January 17, 2019)—The Iowa Court of Appeals has elected Judge Gayle Nelson Vogel, Spirit Lake, as chief judge. Judge Vogel has served on the court of appeals since 1996. She is the ninth chief judge since the state legislature established the Iowa Court of Appeals in 1976. She replaces Chief Judge David Danilson, recently retired.

"It is with great humility that I accept the position of Chief Judge of the Iowa Court of Appeals." Chief Judge Vogel said. "I appreciate working with such a dedicated and hard-working group of judges and staff."

Chief Judge Vogel was born in Rockford, Illinois, and graduated cum laude from Rockford College in 1971 and Drake University Law School, Order of the Coif, in 1983. Following law school, she worked in the private practice of law in Knoxville and served on the board of directors for several business and civic groups.  In 1994, she was awarded the Chamber of Commerce Business Woman of the Year Award. 

Chief Judge Vogel is a member of The Iowa State Bar Association, having served on the Grievance Commission from 1988 - 1996.  As a member of the Iowa Judges Association, she served on the probate manual committee, the juvenile law committee and was Co-Chair of the Iowa Court Improvement Project for several years. Chief Judge Vogel was instrumental in developing rules to expedite appeals in child dependency cases. Currently, she serves as co-chair of the Judicial Technology Committee.

The Iowa Court of Appeals is a nine-member, intermediate appellate court. It reviews appeals from trial court decisions that the supreme court has transferred to the court of appeals. A decision of the Iowa Court of Appeals is final unless reviewed by the Iowa Supreme Court on grant of further review. The majority of appeals filed in Iowa are decided by the court of appeals, with 1,223 opinions filed in 2018. 

In addition to day-to-day judicial duties, the Chief Judge of the Iowa Court of Appeals supervises the business of the court, presides when present at a session of the court, and serves on the judicial council. Chief Judge Vogel will carry these duties and continue to review cases and author opinions.

Previous Chief Judges of the Iowa Court of Appeals
1976-1978     Judge Robert Allbee
1978-1994     Judge Leo Oxberger
1994-1996     Judge Allen Donielson
1996               Judge Rosemary Sackett
1997               Judge Albert Habhab
1997-1998     Chief Justice Mark Cady
1999-2012     Judge Rosemary Sackett
2012-2013     Judge Larry J. Eisenhauer
2013-2019     Judge David Danilson

For More Information:

Steve Davis
Iowa Judicial Branch Communications Director
 
steve.davis@iowacourts.gov

 

« Back

© 2024 Iowa Judicial Branch. All Rights Reserved.