The Iowa Supreme Court on June 7 reversed a $4.5 million jury verdict in an employment discrimination suit, and sent the case back for retrial with a new standard to be used in jury instructions that could give the defendant a new defense. Gregory Hawkins,…
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“Mail” now means “email” under the Administrative Procedure Act, Iowa Supreme Court rules
When the Iowa Legislature enacted the Administrative Procedure Act in 1975, the statute required petitioners to notify the other parties by mail. That meant sending a paper copy of the petition through the mail within 10 days, or delivery in person under a 1981 amendment….
Iowa Supreme Court: Cuts in public-sector collective bargaining rights meet constitutional muster
Amendments to Iowa Code Chapter 20 that substantially reduced the collective bargaining rights of most state and local government employees did not violate union members’ equal protection or free association rights under the Iowa Constitution, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled May 19. Public employee unions…
Iowa Supreme Court affirms Carroll Airport’s decision affecting a towering grain elevator in its flight path
The Carroll Airport Commission ordered a farmer to remove a 12-story grain elevator erected near its runway because it presents a flight hazard. The Federal Aviation Administration, however, issued a contrary opinion saying the elevator could remain. The Iowa Supreme Court, in a decision handed…
Iowa Supreme Court upholds Utilities Board rule that eases regulation of wind farms
Is a wind farm with 170 windmills spread over 80 square miles a single power plant or a collection of separate power plants? According to the Iowa Utilities Board, it is the latter, and the Iowa Supreme Court deferred to that statutory interpretation in a…
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Iowa Supreme Court rules that a one-day release does not require the State to prove a recent overt act before committing a sexually violent predator
The Court heard oral argument in In re Detention of Harlow on September 9 and filed its opinion on October 9. Chief Justice Christensen wrote for the court that unanimously affirmed the district court’s judgment committing Joshua Harlow as a sexually violent predator (SVP).
Iowa Supreme Court affirms the removal of Pottawattamie County supervisor for intoxication at Carson town hall
On September 10, the Iowa Supreme Court heard the oral arguments in the case of State v. Belt and issued its opinion on October 2.
Iowa Supreme Court to hear oral argument about the presumption of innocence October 2 in Iowa City
Is it inherently prejudicial to have a uniformed sheriff’s deputy stand next to the witness box while the defendant testifies?
Iowa Supreme Court considers standards for assessing religious exemptions in special argument session in Spirit Lake
Under what circumstances may a court reviewing a religious university’s decision to deny a religious exemption under the Iowa Civil Rights Act determine whether a student’s religious beliefs are genuine?
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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.