Judge Johnson was appointed to the Iowa District Court in January 2020. He received his undergraduate degree in Business from Buena Vista University in 1996 and his Juris Doctor from Drake University Law School in 1999. Prior to his appointment, Judge Johnson worked as an associate attorney for Blake Parker Law Office from 1999-2004, was the Humboldt County Attorney from 2004-2005, and then began the Derek Johnson Law Office and worked in private practice.