Judges and Magistrates

Chief Judge Gookin was appointed to the Iowa District Court in August 2011. Judge Gookin received his bachelor’s degree with distinction from Iowa State University in 1980 and his Juris Doctor with honors from the Drake University Law School in 1983. Judge Gookin was in private practice with Foss, Kuiken,...

Judge Boddicker was appointed to the Iowa District Court in December 2021. Prior to that, he was appointed District Associate Judge in January 2018. He received his bachelor’s degree in Political Science and History from the University of Northern Iowa in 1993 and his law degree from the University of...

Judge Michael O. Carpenter was appointed to the Iowa District Court in 2023. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Northern Iowa in 1999, a masters’ degree from the University of Northern Iowa in 2001, and his law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law in...

Judge Cronk was appointed to the Iowa District Court in November 2017. She attended Northeast Missouri State University and received her Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1996 from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She was in private practice from 1996 to 2010, serving as Assistant Van Buren County Attorney from 1996-1999 and...

Judge Milani was appointed district court judge in August of 2018. He graduated from Drake University in 1982 and earned his law degree from Drake University in 1987. He is a member of the Iowa State Bar Association, Wapello County Bar Association and the Appanoose County Bar Associate and has...

Judge Peterson was appointed to the bench in August of 2018. He received his undergraduate degree from Iowa State University in 2000 and his law degree with honors from Drake University Law School in 2003. During his final year at Drake Law School, he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Drake...

Judge Schier was appointed to the Iowa District Court in January 2022. Judge Schier was born in Burlington, Iowa, and graduated from Burlington Notre Dame High School. He attended Western Illinois University where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts degree, both in American History....

Judge Showers was appointed to the Iowa District Court in November 2016. Judge Showers was born in Leon, Iowa, and grew up on farms in Lucas and Wayne counties. He graduated from Mormon Trail Community High School in 2000 and the University of Iowa in 2004. He received his law...

Judge Wiley was appointed to the Iowa District Court in September 2023. A Muscatine native, he earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa in 1999 and his law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law in 2002. Prior to his appointment, he practiced law at the...

Judge Wright graduated in 1982. He attended the University of Iowa earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1986. Judge Wright received his Juris Doctor degree from Drake University Law School in 1990 and entered private practice in Fort Madison. He has worked for the Executive Office...

Judge Yates was appointed to the bench in December 2007. He received his bachelor's degree from Mt. Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, IA in 1986 and his law degree from the Drake University School of Law in 1994. Judge Yates spent 12 years in private practice with Clements Law Firm...

Judge Bailey was appointed District Associate Judge in 2016. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa, graduating summa cum laude in 2002. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa College of Law, graduating with distinction in 2005. After graduation, Judge Bailey entered private...

Judge Daily was appointed to the bench in 1998. He received his Bachelor's Degree from University of Iowa in 1981. In 1984 he received his Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa, College of Law, graduating With Distinction. After graduation he went into private practice until his appointment in 1998....

Judge Dean was appointed to the bench in 2006. She attended the University of Northern Iowa and received her undergraduate degree in 1996 and received her Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1999 from the University of Tulsa. Judge Dean was a partner at Saunders, Humphrey, Johnson and Dean from 1999 to...

Judge Daniel P. Kitchen was appointed District Associate Judge in 2017. He earned his law degree with distinction from the University of Iowa College of Law in December1994. Judge Kitchen was in private practice in Muscatine and Davenport before moving to Washington in 1997. He was in private practice in...

Judge Mahaffey was appointed District Associate Judge in 2023. She earned her undergraduate degree from Luther College in 2013, and her law degree from Drake University Law School in 2016. Judge Mahaffey was previously employed as an Assistant Marshall County Attorney and as an Assistant Public Defender in the Juvenile...

Judge Patrick McAvan, Fairfield, was appointed District Associate Judge in 2023. He earned his undergraduate degree from Loras College in 1996 and his law degree from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1999. Judge McAvan served as the Assistant Jefferson County Attorney from 1999-2023. He is a member...

Judge Mefford was appointed to the bench in April, 2013. She attended the University of Iowa where she received her Bachelor's Degree in 1991 and received her Juris Doctorate Degree from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1994. She was an Assistant Wapello County Attorney from 1995-2001. She...

Judge Rogers was appointed District Associate Judge in January 2017. He attended the University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts, where he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree with honors, majoring in sociology in 1997 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa College of Law in 2000. After...

Judge Stensvaag was appointed District Associate Judge in February 2022. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland at College Park in 2007 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa College of Law in 2010. Prior to his appointment, Judge Stensvaag worked in private practice from...

Judge Kruse was appointed to the bench in February of 1997. He was born in Little Rock, Iowa, and attended Morningside College, where he received his bachelor's degree in 1980. He then went to the University of Iowa for law school and graduated in 1983. Judge Kruse served as Appanoose...

Chief Judge Brown was appointed to the bench in 2001 and as Chief Judge of the 8th Judicial District in 2012. She attended Drake University, where she received her bachelor’s degree in 1981 and her law degree in 1984. Judge Brown served as a prosecutor in the Des Moines County...

Judge Linn was appointed to the bench in 1994. He was born in Hampton, Iowa, and was educated at the University of Iowa. He received his undergraduate degree in 1973 and his law degree in 1976. He then spent three years in private practice and 15 years as a public...

Judge Noneman was appointed to the District Associate Bench in the 8B Judicial District in 1987 and served for 30 years as District Associate Judge from 1987 until 2017. Since December 6, 2017, he has served as a Senior Judge. Currently, his primary responsibility is to serve as presiding judge...

Judge William Owens was appointed as an Associate Juvenile Judge in January 1999. Judge Owens received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Kansas in May 1981, and his Juris Doctor degree from Drake University Law School in May 1984. Prior to his appointed to the bench, Judge...

Michael J. Schilling is a District Court Judge for the Eighth Judicial District. Appointed to the bench in 2006, Schilling graduated with honors from the University of Iowa in 1973. In 1976, Schilling graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law with distinction. While in law school, he participated...

Judge Wilson was appointed to the bench in 1995. Born in Pensacola, Florida, he attended Indian Hills Community College earning an AA degree; The University of Iowa where he earned a B.A degree and Drake University where he earned a J.D. degree in December of 1976, Judge Wilson served as...

Magistrate Larry Brock was appointed in 2017.

Magistrate Roger A. Huddle, Wapello, was appointed to serve Louisa County starting in August 2001. He received his undergraduate degree from Drake University in 1975, and his law degree also from Drake University in 1978. Huddle has formerly served as Louisa County Attorney and was also in private practice with...

Magistrate Michael Fisher, New Sharon, was appointed to serve Wapello County in 2023. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa in 1997 and his law degree from Drake University Law School in 2000. Magistrate Fisher has been in private practice since 2000, except for 2022, when he...

Magistrate Joseph P. Goedken, Ottumwa, was appointed to serve Davis County in 2023. He earned his undergraduate degree from Loras College, (Dubuque, IA) in Psychology and Business (minor), cum laude in 2002, and his law degree from Drake University Law School in 2005. Magistrate Goedken is a partner at Orsborn,...

Magistrate Timothy B. Liechty was appointed to serve Henry County in August, 2005. He attended University of Northern Iowa where he received his undergraduate degree in 1985 and his law degree in 2002.

Magistrate Monte McCoy was appointed to serve Monroe County

Magistrate Phil Parsons, Richland, IA, was appointed to serve Jefferson County in 2023. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Northern Iowa in 2001 and his law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law in 2004.

Magistrate Rebecca Petig was appointed to serve Poweshiek County in March 2018.

Magistrate Lois Vroom, Pella, was appointed to serve Mahaska County in 2022. She earned her undergraduate degree from Central College summa cum laude in 1991 and her law degree with high distinction from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1994.

Magistrate Sarah Wenke was appointed in 2017.

Magistrate Steven J. Westercamp, Farmington, was appointed to serve Van Buren County in 2010. He earned his bachelor's degree with distinction from Iowa State University in 1989 and received his law degree from Drake Law School with honors and Order of the Coif in 1995. He is a member of...

Magistrate Misty White, Sigourney, was appointed to serve Wapello County in 2023. She earned her undergraduate degree from Buena Vista University in 1995 and her law degree from University of North Dakota School of Law in 2003. Magistrate White has been employed as a Staff Attorney for Iowa Legal Aid,...