The Iowa Supreme Court entered opinions in eleven cases in January 2025.
January 2025 Opinion Roundup
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Denial of petition to modify child’s designated school in custody decree was proper, Iowa Supreme Court holds
In Vandewalker v. Landherr, the Iowa Supreme Court examined a mother’s petition to modify the portion of her child custody order designating where her child would go to school.
Iowa Supreme Court dismisses efforts to declare firearms restrictions unconstitutional
The Iowa Supreme Court rejected two bids to strike down as unconstitutional Iowa statutes that remove criminal offenders’ right to possess firearms. The Court was split in both cases, with the justices lining up differently in each case.
Dismissal of former tennis coach’s claims of defamation and wrongful discharge in violation of public policy was proper, Iowa Supreme Court finds
In Villarini v. Iowa City Community School District, the Iowa Supreme Court examined the dismissal of claims of wrongful discharge in violation of public policy and defamation that were brought by a former high school tennis coach. The Iowa Supreme Court affirmed the decisions of both the Iowa Court of Appeals and the Johnson County District Court in a unanimous opinion written by Chief Justice Christensen.
District court did not err in denying motions for directed verdict and for a new trial in obstetrician medical malpractice suit, Iowa Supreme Court determines
In Belhak v. Smith, a jury found in favor of a woman and her husband in their negligence suit against the woman’s obstetrician and the obstetrician’s employer. The Iowa Court of Appeals reversed, finding that one of the negligence claims lacked sufficient evidence for submission…
FEATURED POSTS
Summary of Iowa Supreme Court Cases Argued and Submitted Sept. 9 and 10
The Iowa Supreme Court heard arguments in seven cases on September 9th and 10th. Five other cases were submitted to the Court without oral argument. The following are summaries of those cases.
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.
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