Defendant did not violate the Iowa Civil Rights Act for discrimination it was unaware of, Iowa Supreme Court rules
An applicant for a firefighter position is rejected after the employer’s consulting physician concludes the applicant is medically unqualified without disclosing the reason: The applicant had recently had symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS).
Did the employer violate the disability discrimination provision of the Iowa Civ …
read moreIowa Supreme Court sticks with its precedent on livestock nuisance suits
The Iowa Supreme Court sent a lawsuit back to Wapello District Court to make factual findings on whether an Iowa law that protects livestock-confinement operators from nuisance liability violates the affected neighbors’ constitutional rights.
The Court in read more
Iowa Supreme Court splits, again, on a juvenile sentencing case
Iowa’s mandatory sex-offender registry for juveniles who commit a sex offense by force is the equivalent of criminal punishment, a divided Iowa Supreme Court ruled June 15, but it’s not unconstitutional cruel and unusual punishment.
Thus, the Court co …
read moreEmployees with employment contracts can sue for wrongful termination, the Iowa Supreme Court rules for the first time
The Iowa Supreme Court ruled that employees working under an employment contract can sue their employer for wrongful discharge in violation of public policy.
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Iowa Supreme Court reaffirms ‘public duty doctrine’ in rejecting claims against Humboldt County
An Iowa woman who was severely injured in a vehicle accident in Humboldt County cannot sue the county for negligence based on an exception to such liability suits long recognized in Iowa, a divided Iowa Supreme Court ruled June 8.
Kaitlyn Johnson suffered …
read moreIowa Supreme Court: Plaintiff’s attorney crossed a line, so the defendant gets a new trial
The Iowa Supreme Court sent an asbestos case back for a new trial because the plaintiff’s attorney prejudiced the defendant in closing arguments. And the Court clarified its previous ruling on punitive damages in such cases.
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U.S. Supreme Court denies reduced criminal sentences in appeal from Iowa
The U.S. Supreme Court denied an appeal from five Iowa criminal defendants who argued for shortened prison terms based on a recent change in federal sentencing guidelines.
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As Iowa Supreme Court heads into last month of its term, 28 decisions are still in the pipeline
The Iowa Supreme Court is expected to release decisions in five cases Friday, which will bring to 82 the number of cases disposed of so far in the 2017-18 term.
The Court heard its final round of oral arguments on April 10, and all cases have now been submi …
read moreA choice between giving up constitutional rights and personal property is no choice at all, the Iowa Supreme Court rules
A person who claims ownership of property seized by the State should not have to choose between invoking constitutional rights or forfeiting the property, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled May 25 (In the Matter of Property Seized From Jean Carlos Herrera and Ferndando Rodgriguez).
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read moreThe Iowa Civil Rights Act doesn’t reach beyond the state’s borders, Iowa Supreme Court rules
An Iowan working for Deere & Co. in China cannot sue for employment discrimination because the Iowa Civil Rights Act does not reach beyond the borders of Iowa, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled May 18.
Matthew Jahnke was brought back to Iowa from his China …
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Iowa Supreme Court reaffirms its precedent on reciting rights to drunk driving suspects
How far must a police officer go to assure that a suspected drunk driver understands the legal consequences of agreeing or refusing to take a breath test when the suspect does not speak English?
That is the question posed in an appeal to the Iowa Supreme Court by Fethe Feshay Baraki, who claims he did not knowingly conse …
Divided Iowa Supreme Court affirms trial court on license plate obscured by trailer hitch ball
A Polk County District judge denied a defendant’s motion to suppress evidence from a traffic stop initiated by a police officer who could not make out one letter on the vehicle’s license plate because it was partially blocked by a trailer hitch ball.
Iowa Supreme Court to hear arguments in nine cases Nov. 16 and 17
The Iowa Supreme Court will hear arguments in nine cases Nov. 16 and 17. Three other cases will be submitted to the Court without oral argument. Following are short summaries of the November cases. Go to On Brief’s Cases in the Pipeline page to read the briefs in these case …
Iowa Supreme Court leaves rules in place for appealing guilty pleas
When a criminal defendant pleads guilty to a crime, it produces the same result as a criminal conviction at trial. So courts have created procedural requirements designed to ensure that any plea is legally and constitutionally valid before it is accepted.
One requirement is that there must be a factual basis for the crim …
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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.