Iowa Supreme Court deadlocks on specifics required for liability waivers
When Dubuque police officer Katherine Avenarius accidentally shot herself in the leg while attending an Iowa Law Enforcement Academy firearms instructor school, she sued the academy claiming her injury was the result of an instructor’s advice on how to handle her firearm that contradicted how she had previously been trained. The State, which operates the academy, argued Avenarius signed a “clear and unequivocal” waiver and release of liability.
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Iowa Supreme Court upholds minimum prison term for juvenile convicted of murder
The Iowa Supreme Court upheld a 35-year minimum prison sentence for a Fairfield juvenile who pleaded guilty to first degree murder for the death of his high school Spanish teacher. In its unanimous decision, the Court rejected the defendant’s argument that, under the Iowa Constitution, the State must present expert testimony showing a minimum sentence is necessary for a juvenile offender.
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Iowa Supreme Court to hear oral arguments in Summit pipeline case Oct. 8 in historic Iowa State Capitol courtroom
The Iowa Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a case involving Summit Carbon Solutions’ proposed CO2 pipeline in a special evening session Oct. 8 in the historic Iowa Supreme Court courtroom in the Iowa State Capitol Building.
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Iowa Supreme Court to hear arguments in eight cases Oct. 8-10
The Iowa Supreme Court will hear arguments in eight cases Oct. 8-10. Six other cases will be submitted to the Court without argument. Following are brief summaries of the October cases.
read moreIowa Supreme Court to hear oral arguments in one case at Harlan High School Sept. 24
The Iowa Supreme Court will travel to Harlan Tuesday to hear oral arguments in an appeal brought by the head of the State Alcoholic Beverages Division who argues the Division’s fired former comptroller is not protected by a whistleblower provision in state law.
Arguments in Halbur v. Larson will be heard by th …
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Iowa Supreme Court upholds removal of Libertarian Party candidates from November ballot
Instead of choosing candidates for the U.S. House in June party primaries, three Libertarian Party congressional candidates were nominated at the party’s state convention by delegates elected at county conventions.
Six eligible voters in those three congressional districts filed formal objections with the Secretary of …
read moreIowa Court of Appeals August 2024 Published Opinion Roundup
The Iowa Court of Appeals selects certain opinions for publication in the Northwestern Reporter. On Aug. 27, the Court of Appeals selected four opinions for publication. Following are summaries of those opinions.
read moreIowa Supreme Court to hear arguments in eight cases Sept. 11 and 12
The Iowa Supreme Court will hear arguments in eight cases Sept. 11 and 12. Four other cases will be submitted to the Court without oral argument. Following are brief summaries of those cases. The Court will travel to Harlan Sept. 24 to hear arguments in one case. On Brief will preview that case closer to that date.
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Iowa Supreme Court to hear arguments in Iowa City Sept 6 on Linn County Auditor’s election-security case
The Iowa Supreme Court’s first oral argument of the 2024-25 term is scheduled to be heard Sept. 6 at the University of Iowa College of Law. This case addresses the question of whether a county commissioner of elections claiming a violation of a federal election law by the Iowa Secretary of State is entitled to a contested …
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Iowa Supreme Court kicks off 2024-25 term Sept. 6
The 2024-25 term of the Iowa Supreme Court will get under way Sept. 6 with the Court’s first scheduled oral argument to be held at the University of Iowa College of Law in Iowa City. Oral arguments in nine cases will be heard Sept. 11 and 12 in the Supreme Court courtroom in the Judicial Branch Building in Des Moines. Fiv …
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City’s requirement that renters admit city inspectors is not unconstitutional, Iowa Supreme Court holds
A northwestern Iowa city’s ordinance that requires landlords and tenants to allow city officials into apartments to inspect for building code violations is not unconstitutional, at least on its face, because the ordinance may be applied in ways that would not offend the Iowa Constitution, the Iowa Supreme Court said in a decision handed down Dec. 20.
November 2024 Opinion Roundup
The Iowa Supreme Court entered opinions in eleven cases in November 2024. In addition to the four cases covered in individual stories on the blog, the remaining opinions from November are summarized below.
Iowa Supreme Court to hear arguments in 10 cases Dec. 17 and 18
The Iowa Supreme Court will hear arguments in 10 cases Dec. 17 and 18, and three other cases will be submitted to the Court without oral argument. Following are brief summaries of the December cases.
No Fourth Amendment violation in vehicle search after drug-sniffing dog sticks its nose through an open window, Iowa Supreme Court holds
The Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable search and seizure was not violated when a drug detection dog inserted its nose into the open window of a suspect’s vehicle, the Iowa Supreme Court held in a divided Dec. 6 decision.
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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.