The Iowa Supreme Court entered opinions in 10 cases in June 2025. At the links immediately below, you can read On Brief’s analysis of the following opinions.
June 2025 Opinion Roundup
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May 2025 Opinion Roundup
The Iowa Supreme Court entered opinions in 18 cases in May 2025. In addition to the nine cases covered elsewhere on this blog, summaries for the remaining opinions are below.
April 2025 Opinion Roundup
The Iowa Supreme Court entered opinions in seven cases in April 2025.
March 2025 Opinion Roundup
The Iowa Supreme Court entered opinions in fifteen cases in March 2025.
U.S. Supreme Court asked to overturn Iowa Supreme Court drug-sniffing dog decision
An Iowa woman seeking to overturn her drug possession conviction has filed a petition for certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that a police search of her vehicle based on a drug-detection dog’s sniff through an open window violated her Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.
FEATURED POSTS
A statistical review of the 2025-26 Iowa Supreme Court term: “The Incredible Shrinking Judicial Opinion”
The last four Iowa Supreme Court terms—from the 2022-2023 term to the recently concluded 2025-2026 term—have seen a stylistic shift in how the Court articulates its rulings.
Iowa Supreme Court Upholds Immunity in Horse-Drawn Mower Injury Case
The Iowa Supreme Court affirmed the dismissal of a personal injury claim arising from an accident involving a horse-drawn sickle mower in a unanimous decision filed on June 12, 2026. In Shafer v. Santana, the Court held that a farmer operating a horse drawn sickle mower was engaged in the “domesticated animal activity” of driving under Iowa’s Domesticated Animal Activities Act, despite the fact that the horses were briefly stopped when the injury occurred.
July 2026 Iowa Court of Appeals Published Opinions Roundup
The Iowa Court of Appeals selects certain opinions for publication in the Northwestern Reporter. In July, the Court of Appeals selected two opinions for publication. Following are summaries of those opinions.
Iowa Supreme Court Limits Human Trafficking Liability Under 2024 Statute, Requiring an Actual Victim
The Iowa Supreme Court affirmed dismissal of a human trafficking charge and clarified that, under the 2024 statute, a defendant cannot commit human trafficking by attempting to buy sex from a victim who does not exist.
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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.