A new majority emerged during the Iowa Supreme Court’s 2018-19 term that ended in June with the retirement of two justices and the appointment of their replacements, according to an On Brief review of the 108 decisions issued by the court during the 10-month term….
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Iowa Supreme Court to hear arguments in three criminal cases on Aug. 8
The Iowa Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in three criminal appeals on Aug. 8. Following are brief summaries of the three cases. For more information, go to On Brief’s Cases in the Pipeline page to read the briefs and other documents related to these…
Iowa Supreme Court adds a case on jurisdiction over criminal cases at Meskwaki Settlement
The Iowa Supreme Court scheduled an additional oral argument on July 10 in an appeal that raises questions about whether jurisdiction over criminal cases on the Meskwaki Settlement in Tama County belongs to the Tribe, to the State of Iowa or to the federal government….
Definition of ‘confidential’ government records broadened by U.S. Supreme Court in South Dakota decision
A Sioux Falls, S.D., newspaper’s appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court on its federal Freedom of Information Act request for grocery stores’ food stamp records resulted in a reversal for the newspaper and for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. And businesses…
Iowa Supreme Court nears the end of its 2018-19 term with seven decisions remaining in the pipeline
The Iowa Supreme Court released rulings in five cases today, which by On Brief’s count will leave seven cases to be decided before the 2018-19 term is scheduled to end June 28. In July, the Court begins a two month term devoted to court rules…
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Iowa Supreme Court rules that 2025 Bitcoin ATM refund law does not apply to earlier scams.
In an opinion filed Oct 30, 2026, the Iowa Supreme Court reversed a district court’s order in In the matter of $11,500 Seized from Bitcoin Depot Operating, LLC, which denied a Bitcoin ATM operator’s request to recover $11,500 that had been seized by the police.
Iowa Supreme Court rules that courts may decide whether a religious belief is sincerely held under the Iowa Civil Rights Act.
In its unanimous October 23, 2026, opinion in Perry v. Dordt University, the Iowa Supreme Court affirmed the dismissal of a former nursing student’s religious discrimination claim under the Iowa Civil Rights Act (ICRA).
Iowa Supreme Court limits delayed appeals in child welfare cases to termination of parental rights in recent opinion.
Submitted to the Court on September 10 for further review from the Iowa Court of Appeals, the Court filed its unanimous opinion on October 16, affirming the dismissal of a mother’s untimely appeal in In re E.S.
Iowa Supreme Court affirms the admission of video in sexual abuse case over defendant’s claim that it was a “deepfake”
The Court heard oral argument in State v. Amyda on September 9 and issued its opinion on October 9. Justice Mansfield wrote for the Court, which unanimously affirmed Max Amyda’s conviction for third degree sexual abuse.
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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.