Chief Judge Bower, Cedar Falls, was appointed to the Court of Appeals in January 2012. Chief Judge Bower received his bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University in 1984 and his law degree from Drake University in 1987.
Chief Judge Bower was appointed to the district associate court bench in 1993 and the district court bench in 1995. He was appointed chief judge of the First District in 2010. Prior to his appointment, he served as an assistant city attorney for the city of Ames and as an assistant Black Hawk County Attorney. Chief Judge Bower helped to establish the Black Hawk County Adult Drug Court program in 2006 and a mental health court program in 2009. Additionally, Chief Judge Bower has dedicated his career to the prevention of child abuse and domestic violence. He has spoken locally, regionally, and nationally on these topics. Chief Judge Bower is a member of The Iowa State Bar Association, Black Hawk County Bar Association, and the Iowa Judges Association. Chief Judge Bower was born in 1960.
He is married and has two sons. His current term expires December 31, 2026.