November 2023 Opinion Roundup
The Iowa Supreme Court entered opinions in six cases during November 2023. You can read Rox Laird’s summary State v. Amisi at the link here. The remaining opinions from November are summarized below.
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DOT’s delay in traffic stop violated trucker’s 4th Amendment rights, Iowa Supreme Court holds
There is no time limit on law-enforcement traffic stops before the line is crossed into a Fourth Amendment violation, the Iowa Supreme Court said in a Dec. 8 decision, and courts must thoroughly examine the record to determine where to draw that line in each case.
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Iowa Supreme Court to hear arguments in 8 cases Dec. 13 and 14
The Iowa Supreme Court will hear arguments in eight cases Dec. 13 and 14. Three 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 December cases.
read moreIowa Court of Appeals December 2023 Published Opinion Roundup
The Iowa Court of Appeals selects certain opinions for publication within the North Western Reporter. On December 1, 2023, the Court of Appeals selected three opinions for publication, summarized below.
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Iowa Supreme Court: ‘Scurrilous’ notes taped to doors of residents displaying rainbow flags amounted to hate crime
When Robert Geddes entered onto the private property of five Boone residents without permission, he violated Iowa’s trespass statute. It became a more serious crime when he taped “Burn that gay flag” messages on the front doors of those residences, which were displaying rainbow flags. That elevated the charge to tresp …
read moreIowa Court of Appeals September 2023 Published Opinion Roundup
The Iowa Court of Appeals selects certain opinions for publication within the North Western Reporter. In September 2023, the Court of Appeals selected six opinions for publication, summarized below.
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Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals upends Voting Rights Act precedents on who has the right to challenge laws based on race or color
In the nearly six decades since the Voting Rights Act was enacted by Congress, federal judges have assumed private parties could bring suits in federal court to enforce the law that prohibits state or federal election policies that deny the right to vote based on race or color.
That assumption was upended in a Nov. 20 de …
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Edited body camera video should not have been admitted in OWI trial, Iowa Supreme Court rules
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 …
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Closely divided Iowa Supreme Court finds challenges to abortion restrictions under Iowa constitution subject to rational-basis review, reverses injunction against “fetal heartbeat” law
In a 4-3 decision, the Iowa Supreme Court held that rational basis review is the applicable standard in addressing challenges to abortion restrictions under the Iowa constitution.
April 2024 Opinion Roundup
The Iowa Supreme Court entered opinions in nine cases during April 2024. Opinions from April not covered elsewhere on the blog are summarized below.
Iowa Supreme Court reverses prior decisions on liability for failure to maintain city sidewalks and swimming pools
The Iowa Supreme Court in two separate decisions handed down June 14 overturned two of its previous rulings on the question of liability for injuries that occur on city sidewalks and at municipal swimming pools. Both rulings were divided, with two justices citing the principle of stare decisis to say the prior rulings shoul …
Iowa Court of Appeals outlines analysis for parental rights’ termination and reunification extension
Minor child B.W. was exposed to drug use from the day he was born, testing positive for cocaine and initiating intervention by the Iowa District Court for Polk County. In an effort to foster harmony and a healthy living environment for the child, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services attempted to assist the family …
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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.