Funeral service set for Rosemary Shaw Sackett, former Chief Judge of the Iowa Court of Appeals
Iowa Supreme Court begins 2022-23 term with oral arguments set for Des Moines and four other cities
Des Moines detectives not protected by qualified immunity, federal appeals court rules
Two Des Moines police detectives are not entitled to qualified immunity from civil liability for violating the Fourth Amendment rights of a woman who resisted their efforts to have access to her minor daughter suspected of being the victim of physical abuse, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit read more
Court of Appeals Judge David May elevated to Iowa Supreme Court by Governor Reynolds
Judge David May, who describes himself as a “regular person” who received “extraordinary blessings,” has risen to the pin
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read moreIowa Supreme Court upholds first-degree murder conviction after fourth trial
Stanley Liggins was convicted of first-degree murder from events which occurred in 1990. Liggins was charged with the murder of a nine-year-old child. Liggins’s initial conviction was overturned on appeal in 1994 due to the admission of irrelevant, prejudicial evidence at trial. Liggins was ag
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Iowa Supreme Court denies State’s bid for rehearing on standard of review for abortion regulations
Divided Iowa Supreme Court strikes down precedent on animal confinements
The Iowa Supreme Court in a 4-3 ruling handed down June 30 overturned a 2004 decision that created a path for challenging Iowa’s law protecting animal confinement operators from nuisance suits as a violation of the inalienable rights clause of the Iowa Constitution.
In that 2004 ruling, read more
Iowa Supreme Court finds that Iowa statute limiting reimbursement for privately retained counsel does not violate Sixth Amendment
Under the Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution, a defendant has the right to effective assistance of counsel. This right includes an entitlement to reasonably necessary ancillary services paid at state expenses, including where the defendant is represented by court-appointed counsel. Iowa Code Section 815.1 – …
read moreEighth Circuit Court of Appeals affirms dismissal of former City of Cedar Falls employee’s claims against the city
Michelle Brandt, a long-time Cedar Falls city employee, brought claims against the city and several employees stemming from her time working for the city as well as her termination in 2018. Brandt brought claims for interference with and retaliation for her exercise of Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) rights, and claims …
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Iowa Supreme Court’s splintered abortion ruling: Four opinions covering 182 pages
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February 2024 Opinion Roundup
The Iowa Supreme Court entered opinions in eighteen cases during February 2024. You can read Rox Laird’s analysis of Singh v. McDermott, Selden v. DMACC, and Senator Roby Smith et al. v. Iowa District Court for Polk County. The remaining opinions from February are summarized here.
Iowa Court of Appeals divided on trial court’s vacatur of arbitration award
A two-judge majority of an Iowa Court of Appeals panel affirmed a Polk County District Court ruling vacating an arbitration award in a case involving financial regulation. The third member of the panel dissented, saying the majority and the trial court erred in substituting their conclusions …
In case to be heard in Bondurant April 2, Iowa Supreme Court is asked: When is a ‘firearm’ not an ‘offensive weapon’?
Is a replica of a 19th century muzzleloader rifle a “firearm” under Iowa law? No, argues a Burlington man convicted of possessing a firearm in violation of state law.
That question is the heart of an appeal to be argued before the Iowa Supreme Court in a special session April 2 in Bondurant. The oral argument, which …
Iowa Supreme Court to hear arguments in seven cases March 20, 21
The Iowa Supreme Court will hear arguments in seven cases March 20 and 21. Six other cases will be submitted to the Court without oral argument. Go to On Brief’s “Cases in the Pipeline” page to read briefs filed in these cases. Following are brief summaries of the cases to be argued
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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.