Iowa Supreme Court to again look at question of removing passengers from vehicles during roadside stops
An O’Brien County man is urging the Iowa Supreme Court to establish a more stringent standard under the Iowa Constitution for conducting roadside searches of passengers of a vehicle pulled over for a routine traffic stop.
The appeal in State v. Hauge will be heard at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 8 at the University of Iowa …
read moreArticle on Iowa dairy farm made potentially defamatory statements about California congressman, Eighth Circuit rules
In 2019 California Congressman Devin Nunes sued political writer Ryan Lizza and Esquire magazine in federal court claiming a 2018 story in the magazine defamed him by falsely implying that Nunes conspired to hide the suggestion that the Nunes family’s dairy farm in northwest Iowa employs undocumented immigrants.
U.S. D …
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Iowa Supreme Court to hear seven cases Wednesday and Thursday
The Iowa Supreme Court kicks off its 2021-22 term with oral arguments Sept. 15 and 16, on seven appeals. Seven additional cases will be submitted to the Court without oral argument. The Court also will hear an oral argument in Oskaloosa on Sept. 23. (Read our earlier read more
Federal appeals court ruling puts legal saga of Indian casino in Iowa nearer to conclusion
Iowa Supreme Court will go on the road Sept. 23 to hear case involving police search of Lyft passenger
The Iowa Supreme Court will hear arguments in a criminal appeal when it makes its first post-Covid trip outside the Judicial Branch Building for an oral argument in Oskaloosa on Sept. 23. A key issue in the case is whether a passenger in the vehicle operated by a ride-hailing service such as Lyft or Uber may be ordered to e …
read moreChristopher McDonald talks about his approach to being an appellate judge in podcast interview
In a new “In the Balance” podcast interview, Iowa Supreme Court Justice Christopher McDonald talks about his career as a lawyer in private practice and as a trial and appell …
read moreIowa Supreme Court 2020-21 statistical review: Christensen Court thinks outside voting blocs
After two previous terms marked by historic turnover due to retirements, deaths, and new appointments, the Iowa Supreme Court closed the books on the 2020-21 term last month with all seven justices serving the entire term.
Thus it’s possible to observe some trends among new members of the Court as well as the veteran jus …
read moreIowa Supreme Court rejects Planned Parenthood’s constitutional challenge to Iowa law preventing abortion providers from accessing grant funds for sexual education programs
In 2019, the Iowa General Assembly passed a law adding funding conditions that barred abortion providers from participating in two federally funded educational grant programs. These programs focus on educating Iowa’s youth on sexual education, including pregnancy prevention. Planned Parenthood of the Heartland (PPH) has h …
read moreTwo Iowa Supreme Court appeals challenge State jurisdiction on Tama Indian Settlement
The Iowa Supreme Court will hear appeals in the coming term on the question of whether the State of Iowa or the federal government has jurisdiction over two criminal cases involving Native American members of the Tama Indian Settlement in Tama County.
The cases are State v. Bear (20-0401) and State v. Cungti …
read moreIowa Supreme Court holds that signed liability waiver does not protect zip line operator from claims of “gross negligence”
During a visit to the Mt. Crescent Ski Area in Honey Creek, Iowa, Thomas Lukken stepped off an elevated platform and whizzed down a zip line only to be met with a crash at the end, fracturing his neck. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled this term in Lukken v. Century, Inc. that the liability waiver he signed may not have …
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October 2023 Opinion Roundup
The Iowa Supreme Court entered opinions in seven cases during October 2023. You can find in-depth summaries of two cases at the following links:
- In the Matter of V.H., 22-0952
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Iowa Supreme Court to hear arguments in seven cases Nov. 15 and 16
The Iowa Supreme Court will hear arguments in seven cases Nov. 15 and 16. Eight other cases will be submitted to the Court without oral argument. Following are brief summaries of the November cases. [Go to On Brief’s “Cases in the Pipeline” page to read briefs filed in …
The State of Iowa, not employees, must pay dues owed to union, Iowa Supreme Court rules
The State of Iowa violated a collective bargaining agreement with a State employees’ union by refusing to deduct union dues from members’ paychecks as required by the agreement, the Iowa Supreme Court said in a ruling handed down Oct. 27 …
Federal appeals court to hear arguments in three cases at Drake Law School Oct. 26
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit will hear arguments in three Iowa cases at Drake University Law School Oct. 26. The session is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. at the Neal and Bea Smith Law Center at 2400 University.
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, which has courthouses in St. Lou …
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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.