The Iowa Supreme Court is expected to release opinions in two cases Friday, February 5, 2021. Below are On Brief’s previously published summaries of these cases. Go to On Brief’s Cases in the Pipeline page to read briefs filed with the Court in these appeals.
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Man deserves day in court to avoid losing his home over $220 delinquent tax bill, Iowa Supreme Court rules
A Jan. 22 ruling by the Iowa Supreme Court means a Waterloo man may not lose his home for failure to pay a $220 property tax bill.
Cornell Hoosman’s home was sold at tax sale for failure to pay $220 in property taxes to Black Hawk County, and he was served with a removal order after a district judge entered a default j …
Iowa Supreme Court: Tort Claims Act governs excessive-force claims under the state Constitution
A plaintiff with a claim under the Iowa Constitution for damages against the State or its employee must follow the procedures prescribed by the Iowa Tort Claims Act, including the Act’s exclusion of punitive damages, the Iowa Supreme Court said in a ruling handed down Dec. 31.
The decision in read more
Deeply divided Supreme Court upholds new law on absentee ballot request forms
Two starkly different perspectives were articulated by members of the Iowa Supreme Court in majority and dissenting opinions on the constitutionality of a new state statute requiring county auditors to contact voters who omit personal identification information, including their voter ID numbers, from absentee ballot request …
Iowa Supreme Court sides with first-in-time tenant in conflict between pet allergy and emotional support animal
The Iowa Supreme Court held that a tenant with a dog allergy may maintain civil claims for damages against their landlord arising from the landlord’s waiver of their no-pets policy for a neighboring tenant’s emotional support animal. In doing so, the Court emphasized the narrowness of its holding, characterizing its analy …
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October 2024 Opinion Roundup
The Iowa Supreme Court entered opinions in eight cases in October 2024. In addition to Rox Laird’s analysis of State of Iowa v. William Noble Chaiden Miller and Katherine Avenarius and Paul Avenarius v. State of Iowa summarized on this blog, the remaining opinions from October are summarized below.
Iowa Supreme Court to hear arguments in eight cases Nov. 13-14
The Iowa Supreme Court will hear arguments in eight cases Nov. 13 and Nov. 14. Five other cases will be submitted to the Court without oral argument. Following are brief summaries of the November cases.
Iowa Supreme Court deadlocks on specifics required for liability waivers
When Dubuque police officer Katherine Avenarius accidentally shot herself in the leg while attending an Iowa Law Enforcement Academy firearms instructor school, she sued the academy claiming her injury was the result of an instructor’s advice on how to handle her firearm that contradicted how she had previously been trained. The State, which operates the academy, argued Avenarius signed a “clear and unequivocal” waiver and release of liability.
Iowa Supreme Court upholds minimum prison term for juvenile convicted of murder
The Iowa Supreme Court upheld a 35-year minimum prison sentence for a Fairfield juvenile who pleaded guilty to first degree murder for the death of his high school Spanish teacher. In its unanimous decision, the Court rejected the defendant’s argument that, under the Iowa Constitution, the State must present expert testimony showing a minimum sentence is necessary for a juvenile offender.
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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.