Justice McDermott, West Des Moines, was appointed to the Supreme Court in April 2020.
Justice McDermott was born and raised in Carroll, Iowa. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa in 2000 and his law degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 2003, where he served as an editor of the California Law Review. Justice McDermott worked as an attorney in private practice until his appointment. He is a former member of the Iowa State Bar Association’s Board of Governors and chair of its Judicial Administration Committee. He is past-president of the Iowa State Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division and received its highest honor, the Award of Merit, in 2013. Justice McDermott previously served on the United Way of Central Iowa’s Chair’s Cabinet and co-chaired its Tocqueville Society campaign. He received the United Way of Central Iowa's "Volunteer of the Year" award in 2017. Justice McDermott also previously served on the board of directors and as board president for Iowa Legal Aid, the Iowa Lottery Authority, Polk County Homeless Continuum of Care Board, and Central Iowa Shelter & Services. He currently serves as chair of the Iowa Access to Justice Commission.
Justice McDermott is married and has three children. His current term expires December 31, 2030.