“Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow,” the song says, but when the snow ends, the Iowa Supreme Court says exposure to legal liability begins.
The Court in a decision handed down June 5 rejected an argument that it abandon its 67-year …
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Iowa Supreme Court denies further review in challenges to changes in judicial nominating process
Legal challenges to the Iowa Legislature’s 2019 changes in the nominating process for Iowa appellate judges have reached the end of the road. The Iowa Supreme Court on May 15 denied applications for further review of two Iowa Court of Appeals rulings dismissing the challenges by lawyers and state legislators.
Cedar Rap …
A pro se trip through three Iowa courts winds up at a dead end
Iowa Supreme Court grants further review in four Court of Appeals decisions
The Iowa Supreme Court has granted further review of four rulings of the Iowa Court of Appeals. Following are brief summaries of those cases. Go to On Brief’s Cases in the Pipeline page to read the parties’ briefs and appellants’ applications for further rev …
Jury instruction on ‘stand your ground’ defense violated the Fifth Amendment, Iowa Supreme Court rules
Iowa law requires that criminal defendants who invoke a “stand your ground” defense must have informed law-enforcement authorities of the use of deadly force. That requirement, on its face, may or may not violate a defendant’s constitutional rights, but a defendant’s Fifth Amendment right against self incrimination …
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April 2024 Opinion Roundup
The Iowa Supreme Court entered opinions in nine cases during April 2024. Opinions from April not covered elsewhere on the blog are summarized below.
Iowa Supreme Court reverses prior decisions on liability for failure to maintain city sidewalks and swimming pools
The Iowa Supreme Court in two separate decisions handed down June 14 overturned two of its previous rulings on the question of liability for injuries that occur on city sidewalks and at municipal swimming pools. Both rulings were divided, with two justices citing the principle of stare decisis to say the prior rulings shoul …
Iowa Court of Appeals outlines analysis for parental rights’ termination and reunification extension
Minor child B.W. was exposed to drug use from the day he was born, testing positive for cocaine and initiating intervention by the Iowa District Court for Polk County. In an effort to foster harmony and a healthy living environment for the child, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services attempted to assist the family …
March 2024 Opinion Roundup
The Iowa Supreme Court entered opinions in ten cases during March 2024. These opinions are summarized below.
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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.