News Releases - Page 2

The Iowa Supreme Court today announced its 2025-2026 adjudicative term calendar. The schedule includes special evening sessions in Des Moines, special sessions at Drake and Iowa law schools, and three special sessions in communities around the state to hear oral arguments. The adjudicative term, when the supreme court hears oral arguments and writes the majority of its published opinions, is from September 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.

Iowa Supreme Court has approved $1,177,030 in grants to nonprofit programs that provide legal assistance to low-income Iowans with civil legal problems. The court awarded grants to fourteen different organizations throughout Iowa. The grants are funded by the Interest on Lawyers' Trust Account (IOLTA) program. With this year's grants, the supreme court has awarded more than $27 million in IOLTA grants since the program began on July 1, 1985.

Monday, June 30, 2025, is the last day of the 2024-2025 Iowa Supreme Court adjudicative term. During the term, 102 cases were submitted to the court.  With today’s opinions, all the cases submitted to the court are complete, and the opinions are available on the Iowa Judicial Branch website at https://www.iowacourts.gov/iowa-courts/supreme-court/supreme-court-opinions/.

Chief Justice Susan Christensen has appointed District Court Judge Shawn Showers, Washington County, as Chief Judge of the Eighth Judicial District.  Judge Showers succeeds Chief Judge Myron Gookin who will retire July 7, 2025. Judge Showers will begin the position of chief judge July 8, 2025.

The Iowa Board of Law Examiners announces the following results of the February 2025 Bar Examination.

https://www.iowacourts.gov/opr/attorneys/admissions/admission-by-examination

The justices of the Iowa Supreme Court, former colleagues, and friends remember former Iowa Supreme Court Justice Mark McCormick. Justice McCormick served on the Iowa Supreme Court from April 12, 1972, until he returned to private practice January 31, 1986.

On Tuesday, April 15, the Iowa Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Lamoni, Iowa. The proceedings will take place in the Shaw Center for the Performing Arts at Graceland University, 1 University Place. The oral arguments are open to the public and will begin at 7 p.m.

Notice is hereby given of a vacancy in the office of Elective Judicial Nominating Commissioner for Judicial Election District 1B.  This is to notify the public that a special election will be held from April 16, 2025, until and including May 9, 2025, to elect an individual to fill this vacancy and serve the remainder of the term for this position.  See Iowa Code § 46.5(3).  The term for this position expires January 31, 2026.

The Iowa Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case Bert Miller and Nancy Duffner v. State of Iowa during a special evening session in Des Moines, Tuesday, February 11, at 7:00 p.m. in the Supreme Court Courtroom on the fourth floor of the Judicial Branch Building, 1111 East Court Avenue.

The Iowa Court of Appeals has reselected Judge Mary Tabor, Des Moines, as chief judge.