News Releases - 2021 Archive - Page 3

The Iowa Supreme Court has selected District Judge Jeffrey D. Bert, Bettendorf, and District Judge David Nelmark, Des Moines, as Iowa Business Specialty Court judges. Judge Bert and Judge Nelmark will join Judge Lawrence P. McLellan, Judge John D. Telleen, and Judge E. Sarah Crane as business court judges.  Judges Kurt J. Stoebe and Sean W. McPartland are stepping away from the business court in favor of other judicial duties. We thank them for their years of service to the Iowa Business Specialty Court.

Redistricting must occur every ten years.  2021 is one of those years.  The Iowa Constitution gives the primary responsibility for reapportionment of legislative districts to the general assembly.  The general assembly has adopted a nonpartisan redistricting law to perform this task.  See Iowa Code ch. 42.

Court users in Iowa can now complete a name change petition online using a free, easy step-by-step process on any computer, tablet, or smartphone anywhere in the state. Anyone without easy access to a computer, tablet, or smartphone can use the public access computer at any county courthouse in Iowa. 

The Iowa Judicial Branch website now has procedures that explain family law mediation and links to the required forms for each of the state’s eight judicial districts. The information is available following a July 2020 Iowa Supreme Court order requiring the judicial districts to establish or continue procedures for mandatory mediation or mandatory judicial settlement conferences in all family law cases where at least one party is represented by an attorney. The supreme court ordered that the district plans be implemented by March 1, 2021.

State Court Administrator Todd Nuccio has announced his resignation.  Nuccio began his duties in September 2017. His last day will be April 30, 2021.

A public service announcement (PSA) released today informs Iowans called for jury service about the safety measures the Iowa Judicial Branch and counties are providing to ensure the health and safety of Iowans serving on juries.

The Iowa Court of Appeals has reselected Judge Thomas N. Bower, Cedar Falls, as chief judge. At the first meeting in each odd-numbered year, the judges of the court of appeals by majority vote designate one judge as chief judge, to serve for a two-year term. Chief Judge Bower has served on the court of appeals since 2012 and was first elected chief judge in 2019 when Chief Judge Gayle Nelson Vogel retired.

The Iowa Supreme Court reselected Justice Susan Christensen, Harlan, as chief justice. At the first meeting in each odd-numbered year, the justices of the supreme court by majority vote shall designate one justice as chief justice, to serve for a two-year term. Chief Justice Christensen was first selected chief justice following the retirement of Acting Chief Justice David Wiggins in February 2020.

On Wednesday, January 13, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. in the House Chambers, Chief Justice Susan Christensen of the Iowa Supreme Court will address a joint convention of the General Assembly on the Condition of the Judiciary.