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Judges and Magistrates

Adria Kester

Chief Judge: District 2

Judge Kester was appointed to the district court in July of 2017. She earned her bachelor's degree from Iowa State University in 1994, and her law degree from Drake University School of Law in 1998. Judge Kester was an Assistant Public Defender, in private practice for six years, the Assistant...

Gregg Rosenbladt

Assistant Chief Judge: District 2

Judge Rosenbladt, Mason City, was appointed as a District Associate Judge in October 2008, and as a District Judge in August 2012. He earned his AA degree from Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa in 1982, his BA degree from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa in 1984, and his law...

Bethany J. Currie

District Court Judge: 2B

Judge Currie, Marshalltown, was appointed to the bench in 2018. She earned her undergraduate degree from Augustana College in 2000 and her law degree from Drake University Law School in 2003. Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge Currie was a Law Clerk for the Honorable Linda R. Reade,...

Rustin T. Davenport

District Court Judge: District 2A

Judge Davenport, Mason City, was appointed to the bench in October of 2010. He earned his undergraduate degree from Drake University in 1982 and his law degree, with Distinction, from the University of Iowa in 1985. Judge Davenport was a Law Clerk for the Second Judicial District from 1985-1986, a...

Angela L. Doyle

District Court Judge: District 2B

Judge Doyle, Fort Dodge, was appointed to the bench in 2011 as district associate judge. In 2018, she was appointed as district court judge. She received her undergraduate degree from Creighton University in 1982, graduating Summa cum laude, with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. In 1984, she earned...

John R. Flynn

District Court Judge: 2B

Judge Flynn, Boone, was appointed to the district court bench in July 2020. He received his undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Iowa in 2004 and his law degree from Drake University Law School in 2007. Prior to his appointment, Judge Flynn practiced law as a shareholder...

Christopher C. Foy

District Court Judge: District 2A

Judge Foy, Waverly, was appointed to the bench in December of 2007. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from the University of Northern Iowa in 1984. He graduated with High Distinction from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1987. Judge Foy practiced law in Minneapolis, Minnesota from...

John J. Haney

District Court Judge

Judge Haney, Marshalltown, was appointed to the District Court bench in May of 2014. He was born in Pittsburgh, PA and raised in Marshalltown. He received an AA degree with honors Marshalltown Community College in 1991; BA degree with honors from Grinnell College honors in 1993; and his law degree...

Derek Johnson

District Court Judge: District 2B

Judge Johnson was appointed to the bench in January 2020. He received his undergraduate degree in Business from Buena Vista University in 1996 and his Juris Doctorate from Drake University Law School in 1999. Prior to his appointment, Judge Johnson worked as an associate attorney for Blake Parker Law Office...

Jennifer Miller

District Court Judge: 2B

Judge Miller was appointed to the bench in March 2021. She received her undergraduate degree from Augustana College in 1993 and her law degree from Drake University in 1996. Prior to her appointment, she worked as an assistant public defender from 1996 to 2002 and as the Marshall County Attorney...

Amy Moore

District Court Judge: 2B

Judge Moore was appointed to the district court in April 2019. She graduated from Iowa State University in 1999 and earned her law degree from Creighton University in 2002. Prior to her appointment, Judge Moore was a trial attorney with the Federal Defenders of Eastern Washington and Idaho and was...

Blake Norman

District Court Judge: 2A

Judge Norman was appointed to the bench in January 2023. He earned his undergraduate degree from University of Northern Iowa in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management. In 2012, he earned his law degree from Drake University Law School, graduating with High Honors. Judge Norman served as...

Christopher C. Polking

District Court Judge: 2B

Judge Polking was appointed to the bench in June 2019. He received his Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Tufts University in 1994 and his J.D. from the University of Minnesota in 2001, graduating Magna Cum Laude; Order of the Coif. His past experience includes an attorney in private practice,...

DeDra L. Schroeder

District Court Judge: District 2A

Judge Schroeder, Osage, was appointed to the district bench in May of 2012. Judge Schroeder graduated from the University of Iowa in 1991, and earned her law degree from the University of South Dakota in 1994. Judge Schroeder practiced law in private practice until her appointment to the district bench...

Ashley M. Sparks

District Court Judge

Judge Sparks, Nevada, was appointed to the bench in 2023. She earned her undergraduate degree from Western Illinois University in 2007. She earned her master’s degree in clinical psychology from the University of Northern Iowa in 2011 and her law degree from Drake University Law School in 2013. Prior to...

Colleen D. Weiland

District Court Judge: District 2A

Judge Weiland, Mason City, was appointed to the district bench in July of 2007. She earned her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Iowa. Judge Weiland engaged in the private practice of law for four years and has instructed for North Iowa Area Community College and Buena Vista...

Elizabeth Batey

District Associate Judge: District 2A

Elizabeth Batey was appointed District Associate Judge in December 2022. Previously, she served as a magistrate in Butler County from 2019 to 2022 and was in private practice in Greene, Iowa, from 2015 to 2019. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa in 2011 and her law...

Paul G. Crawford

District Associate Judge: District 2B

Judge Crawford, Marshalltown, was appointed to the bench in January of 2016. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Creighton University in 1981 with a BA in Organizational Communications and from the University Of Iowa School Of Law in 1984. From 1984 to 1986 Judge Crawford was an assistant Story County...

Joseph B. McCarville

District Associate Judge: District 2B

Judge McCarville was appointed to the district associate bench in September of 2017. He received his undergraduate degree from Iowa State University and his law degree from the University of Iowa Law School in 1989. Judge McCarville has worked in the Webster County Attorneys office, the Iowa Public Defenders office...

Peter B. Newell

District Associate Judge: District 2A

Judge Newell, Waverly, was appointed to the bench in 1995. Born in Yale, Michigan, he received his bachelor's degree from Western Illinois University in 1984. He attended Drake University Law School and graduated in 1987. Judge Newell is a member of the 2A and Iowa State Bar Associations.

Stephen A. Owen

District Associate Judge: District 2B

Judge Owen is an Iowa native, Army veteran, husband, and father. After active duty service in the United States Army, he earned a BS from ISU and JD from Drake. Prior to his appointment as a judge, he practiced extensively in criminal and civil law from offices in central Iowa....

Karen Kaufman Salic

District Associate Judge: District 2A

Judge Salic, Garner, was raised near Manson, Iowa, and graduated from Buena Vista College before obtaining her law degree from Southern Methodist University. Before being appointed to the bench, Judge Salic was in private practice for two years, an assistant Hancock and Kossuth County Attorney for one year and the...

Adam Sauer

District Associate Judge: District 2A

Judge Sauer was appointed as a District Associate Judge effective February 23, 2018. He received his Business Administration degree from Grand View College in 2004 and his law degree from William Mitchell College of Law in 2008. After receiving his law degree, Judge Sauer was in private practice until 2008....

Joseph L. Tofilon

District Associate Judge: District 2B

Judge Tofilon, Webster City, was appointed to the bench on January 14, 2019. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa in 2002 and graduated with his law degree from the University of Iowa in 2005. He served as law clerk to Honorable Joseph Gordon of the Illinois...

Thomas J. Bice

Senior Judge: District 2B

Judge Bice, Fort Dodge, was appointed to the bench in November of 2008. He earned his Bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa in 1969. He graduated Order of the Coif from Drake University Law School in 1972. Judge Bice was in private practice for 36 years prior to his...

James M. Drew

Senior Judge District 2A

Chief Judge Drew, Hampton, was appointed to the bench in February of 1999. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Arizona State University in 1982 and his law degree from the University of Iowa (With Distinction) in 1985. Judge Drew was in private practice from 1986...

James C. Ellefson

Senior Judge: District 2B

Judge Ellefson, Marshalltown, was appointed to the bench in February of 2012. He earned his Bachelor's degree From Wartburg in 1974 and graduated with Honors from Drake Law School in 1977. Judge Ellefson Clerked for Robert G. Allbee, Chief Judge of the Iowa Court of Appeals (1977 - 1978) and...

James A. McGlynn

Senior Judge: District 2B

Judge McGlynn, Webster City, was appointed to the district court bench in November 2012. He served as an Associate Juvenile Court Judge from September 1999 until his appointment as a District Court Judge. Judge McGlynn earned his undergraduate degree from Drake University in 1972. He graduated from Creighton University School...

Kurt L. Wilke

Senior Judge: District 2

Judge Wilke, Fort Dodge, was appointed to the bench in 1992. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota in 1970, and his law degree from the University of North Dakota in 1974. Judge Wilke was in private practice in Fort Dodge from 1974 until his appointment to...

Patrick B. Byrne

Magistrate

Magistrate Patrick B. Byrne Magistrate Byrne was appointed to serve Cerro Gordo County in August of 2009. He graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 1981, and from Drake University Law School, with Honors, in 1983. Mr. Byrne was the assistant County Attorney for Carroll, Greene, Crawford, Audubon, Shelby,...

Timothy A. Casperson

Magistrate

Magistrate Timothy A. Casperson was appointed to serve in Winnebago County in December of 2013. He previously served as the Magistrate in Hancock County for six years. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Northern Iowa in 1990 and his law degree from the University of Iowa in...

Leslie Dalen

Magistrate: 2A

Magistrate Leslie A. Dalen, Hancock County, was appointed to the bench on April 13, 2018. She received her Bachelor's of Science in Business from Miami University in Oxford, OH in 1990, and her JD from Drake Law School in 1993. Her past work experience includes public defending from 1993 to...

Justin T. Deppe

Magistrate

Magistrate Deppe, Hamilton, was appointed to the bench in July 2019. He received his Bachelor's of Finance from Iowa State University in 1994, and his law degree, J.D., from Roger Williams University School of Law in 2002. He is a member of the Iowa State Bar Association and Hamilton County...

Dani L. Eisentrager

Magistrate

Magistrate Eisentrager was appointed to serve Wright County in 2013. She earned her bachelor's degree from Buena Vista University in 2003 and her law degree from the Drake University Law School in 2006, graduating with High Honors. Eisentrager has been in private practice since 2006 and was the Eagle Grove...

Ethan Epley

Magistrate

Magistrate Ethan D. Epley, Bremer County, was appointed to the bench in August 2017. He received his Bachelor's degree in Agriculture Studies from Iowa State in 2002 and his JD from Drake Law School in 2009. He has previously worked at the Epley Law Office from 2009-2011, and is currently...

Katherine Evans

Magistrate: 2A

Magistrate Katherine Evans, Floyd County, was appointed to the bench on July 24, 2018. She graduated from the University of South Dakota in 1990 and received her law degree from Drake Law School in 1993. She previously worked at the Office of the Public Defender and Iowa Legal Aid. She...

William H. Habhab

Magistrate

Magistrate Habhab was appointed to serve Webster County in June of 2012. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa in 1977, and his law degree from Drake University in 1980. He was a former Assistant County Attorney and has been in private practice since 1980. Magistrate Habhab...

Stephen G. Kersten

Magistrate

Magistrate Stephen Kersten, Fort Dodge, was appointed to serve Webster County in 1992. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. in 1975, his Master of Science degree from the University of Iowa in 1977, and his Juris Doctorate degree from Drake University Law School...

Douglas A. Krull

Magistrate

Magistrate Douglas A. Krull was appointed to serve Worth County in 2005. He graduated from Upper Iowa University in 1981 and earned his law degree from the University of Iowa in 1984. He served as Worth County Attorney from 1986 - 1998 and as city attorney for Manly since 2002....

Sarah J. Livingston

Magistrate: District 2B

Magistrate Livingston was appointed to the bench in December 2020. She received her undergraduate degree from Iowa State University in 1995 and her law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1998. Previously Magistrate Livingston worked as the assistant county attorney for Story and Boone County from...

Nicholas T. Larson

Magistrate

Magistrate Nicholas T. Larson was appointed to serve Mitchell County in June of 2012. He received his undergraduate degree from Iowa State University and his law degree from the University of Iowa Law School in 2007. He served as an Assistant County Attorney from 2007-2010, and is currently in private...

Ben Meyer

Magistrate

Magistrate Ben Meyer, Pocahontas County, was appointed to the bench on August 1, 2018. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from Iowa State University in May 2011 as well as his JD from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in January 2014. His past experience includes working...

Andrea M. Miller

Magistrate

Magistrate Andrea M. Miller, Hampton, has been appointed to serve Franklin County in August 2001. She received her undergraduate degree from Truman State University, Kirksville, Missouri, in 1993, Cum Laude, and her law degree from the University of Iowa Law School in 1999. She has served as a law clerk...

Jessica L. Morton

Magistrate

Magistrate Jessica L. Morton was appointed to the bench in September 2019. She received her undergraduate degree from Cornell College in 2009, her Masters of English from Western Ilinois University in 2011, and her law degree from the University of Iowa in 2014. Her past experience includes private practice in...

A. Eric Neu

Magistrate

Magistrate A. Eric Neu, Carroll, was appointed to serve Carroll County in 1999. He received his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University in 1989 and his law degree from the University of Iowa in 1993. He served as a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice David Harris from 1993 to 1994....

Kevin M. O'Hare

Magistrate

Magistrate O'Hare, Marshalltown, was appointed to serve Marshall County on September 2000. He received his undergraduate degree from Cornell College in 1977 and his J.D. from the University of Iowa in 1982. He has been in private practice since July 1982. He is a member of the Iowa State Bar...

Ricki L. Osborn Stubbs

Magistrate

Magistrate Stubbs was appointed to serve Calhoun County in 2018. She received her undergraduate degree from University of Iowa in 1994 and her law degree from Creighton University School of Law in 1997. She served as Assistant Webster County Attorney from 1998-2009 and Webster County Attorney from 2009-2013. She served...

Merrill C. Swartz

Magistrate

Magistrate Merrill C. Swartz, Marshalltown, was appointed to serve Marshall County in July 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Morningside College in 1992 and his law degree from the University of Iowa Law school in 1995. Magistrate Swartz has been in private practice since 1995.

Karen Thalacker

Magistrate

Magistrate Karen Thalacker Magistrate Thalacker was appointed to serve Bremer County in August of 2009. She graduated from Wartburg College in 1988, and received her law degree from Drake University Law School. She served as an Assistant County Attorney in Black Hawk County from 1991 - 1994, was in private...

Ronald J. Wagenaar

Magistrate

Magistrate Ronald J. Wagenaar, Mason City, was appointed to serve Cerro Gordo County in September 2007. He earned his bachelor's degree from Northwestern College, Orange City, in 1981 and his law degree from the University of Washington Law School, Seattle Washington, in 1984. Magistrate Wagenaar was a staff attorney for...

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