Chief Judge Brown, Burlington, was appointed to the bench in 2001 and as Chief Judge of the 8th Judicial District in 2012. She was born and raised in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. 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 Attorney’s office until 1990. Thereafter she was in a general private practice in Burlington, until her appointment to the bench. She also served as the Middletown City Attorney. In 2000 she was honored by the Iowa Bar Association with its Community Service Award. She is a past member of the Grievance Commission, Iowa Board of Examiners of Shorthand Reporters (chair), Iowa Supreme Court Rules of Civil Procedure Committee, the Commission on the Unauthorized Practice of Law, the Judicial Qualifications Commission, and the Civil Justice Reform Task Force. She is a current member of the Iowa Judges Association, the Iowa State Bar Association and the Des Moines County Bar Association.