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Iowa Supreme Court preview: Can you claim ‘actual innocence’ after pleading guilty to a crime?

If you plead guilty to a criminal charge can you later claim you are in fact innocent after your accuser recants his testimony?

That question will be before the Iowa Supreme Court in Schmidt v. Iowa this term.

Cities may have dodged a procedural nightmare in Iowa Supreme Court’s ‘Field of Dreams’ ruling

by Rox Laird | 12.13

Last week’s Iowa Supreme Court ruling upholding a Dyersville rezoning decision may have gotten the attention of movie fans and baseball nostalgia buffs who remember the 1989 movie “Field of Dreams” filmed on location near the Dubuque County town.

But …

Eighth Circuit to hear arguments Wednesday on ISU trademark use by advocates of legalizing marijuana

by Rox Laird | 12.12

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit will hear oral arguments Wednesday in St. Paul, Minn., in a trademark dispute between Iowa State University and the campus chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).

ISU ar …

Iowa Supreme Court cites state records law in sealing court records

by Rox Laird | 12.06

The Iowa Supreme Court Friday said a Linn County District judge failed to correctly follow the Iowa open-records law in sealing court documents in a civil case.

The trial court could ultimately decide to keep the documents under seal, but it must first cond …

Iowa Supreme Court 2016-17 Preview: Court asked to go further on juvenile sentences

by Rox Laird | 12.02

The Iowa Supreme Court will hear arguments this month in three cases that could add to a growing body of Iowa law regarding sentencing of juvenile criminal offenders.

In one case, the Court is urged to rule that the appellant’s mandatory minimum sentenc …

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Iowa Supreme Court sends case on “protectionist” legislation back to trial court with pointed language about legislative logrolling

The Iowa Constitution requires that bills enacted by the General Assembly contain a single subject in the title. Although legislators often use vaguely general titles on bills that contain many unrelated provisions, the Iowa Supreme Court has been reluctant to declare the practice unconstitutional: In the 166 years since th …

Iowa Supreme Court to hear arguments in two cases March 22

The Iowa Supreme Court will hear arguments in two cases March 22. Two other cases will be submitted to the Court without oral argument. Following are summaries of those cases. Go to On Brief’s “Cases in the Pipeline” page to read the briefs filed in these cases.

&nbs …

In a Wapello County case, Iowa Supreme Court parses settlement agreement language on ‘derelict’ vehicles

When Wapello County set out to remove what it considered “derelict” vehicles from a residential property, the owners sued. The suit was dropped after the owners and the County reached a settlement in which the owners agreed to do the removal themselves to the County’s “satisfaction.”

The word “satisfaction” …

Iowa Supreme Court to hear arguments in 11 cases Feb. 21 and 22

The Iowa Supreme Court will hear arguments in 11 cases Feb. 21 and Feb 22. Two additional cases will be submitted to the Court without oral arguments. Go to On Brief’s “Cases in the Pipeline” page to read the briefs submitted to the Court in these cases. Following are b …

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On Brief: Iowa’s Appellate Blog is devoted to appellate litigation with a focus on the Iowa Supreme Court, the Iowa Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.