On Thursday, June 13, the Iowa Court of Appeals will hold a special ceremony to mark the retirement of Chief Judge Thomas Bower. This public ceremony will be at 3:00 p.m. in the supreme court courtroom on the fourth floor of the Iowa Judicial Branch Building, 1111 E. Court Ave., Des Moines. Overflow seating will be available. Chief Judge Bower will retire July 1, 2024.
Chief Judge Bower, Cedar Falls, was appointed to the Iowa Court of Appeals in January 2012. He was elected by the court of appeals to serve as Chief Judge in October 2019.
Chief Judge Bower received his bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University in 1984 and his law degree from Drake University in 1987. He was appointed to the district associate court bench in 1993 and the district court bench in 1995. He was appointed chief judge of the First Judicial District in 2010. Prior to his appointment, he served as an assistant city attorney for the city of Ames and as an assistant Black Hawk County Attorney. Chief Judge Bower helped to establish the Black Hawk County Adult Drug Court program in 2006 and a mental health court program in 2009. Additionally, Chief Judge Bower has dedicated his career to the prevention of child abuse and domestic violence. He has spoken locally, regionally, and nationally on these topics. Chief Judge Bower is a member of The Iowa State Bar Association, the Black Hawk County Bar Association, and the Iowa Judges Association. He is married and has two sons.
Media Advisory: The court will allow cameras and audio recording equipment in the courtroom subject to available space. If you wish to be present for the entire ceremony and have camera and recording equipment to install, please arrive twenty minutes in advance of the ceremony. The media room will also be open for use by the media.