Judge Murphy was appointed to the bench in 2017. In 1985, Judge Murphy received his undergraduate degree as a Distinguished Military Graduate from Marquette University. Judge Murphy then served four years on active duty in the United States Army. In 1992, he received his law degree with Honors from Drake University Law School. Judge Murphy practiced law for twenty-five years prior to his appointment to the bench. He is a member of the Iowa State and Dallas County Bar Associations.