Served on the Iowa Supreme Court from September 3, 1958, when he was appointed to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Justice William A. Smith, until December 15, 1958, when a successor was elected. Prior to his appointment he had stated he would serve only during this interim.
Born at Maurice, Iowa, April 8, 1895. He received his preparatory college training at St. Thomas College, St. Paul, Minnesota, and the University of Iowa where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1916. Thereafter he was graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1920 and was admitted to the bar that same year. During World War I he served as a pilot in the Air Service, a branch of the U.S. Army Signal Corps. After his admission to the bar he entered the general practice of law at Algona, Iowa.
Justice Linnan had a very active trial practice at Algona, both before and after his term of service on the court. He remained active in that practice until his death on September 17, 1975.