An equipment financing agreement was legally ratified by the lessee after it took possession of business equipment and made seven monthly payments before attempting to cancel the agreement, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled March 12. The opinion in Great America Financial Services Corp. v. Natalya…
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Iowa Supreme Court expected to release opinions in five cases Friday
Opinions in five cases are expected to be released by the Iowa Supreme Court Friday, March 12. Following are On Brief’s previously published summaries of the cases. Go to On Brief’s Cases in the Pipeline page to read briefs filed with the Court in these…
Iowa Supreme Court set to hear arguments in nine cases Tuesday and Wednesday
The Iowa Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in nine cases Feb. 16 and 17, and five additional cases will be submitted to the Court. Following are brief summaries of the February cases. Go to On Brief’s Cases in the Pipeline page to read briefs…
Legislative act barring pro se briefs does not cross constitutional line, Iowa Supreme Court rules
Legislation enacted by the Iowa General Assembly that prohibits defendants who are represented by legal counsel from filing appellate briefs on their own behalf does not violate the Iowa Constitution’s separation of legislative and judicial powers, the Iowa Supreme Court has narrowly held. In a…
Decisions expected from Iowa Supreme Court in two cases Friday
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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Iowa Supreme Court affirms woman’s conviction for making terrorism threats
A Guthrie County woman made statements to her son that he interpreted as serious threats of violence against a Department of Health and Human Services child protective worker and a judge six days ahead of a hearing regarding the Department’s removal of her minor children from her care. His concerns were reported to law enforcement, and she was subsequently convicted on one count of threat of terrorism under Iowa Code Chapter 708A.
January 2026 Opinion Roundup
The Iowa Supreme Court entered opinions in ten cases in January 2026. On Brief has analyzed three opinions in separate posts. The remaining opinions from January are summarized below.
December 2025 Opinion Roundup
The Iowa Supreme Court entered opinions in eight cases in December 2025.
Enhanced penalty counts for sales of alcohol to two minors five minutes apart, Iowa Supreme Court holds
The penalty for violating Iowa’s law that bars the sale of alcohol to a person under the age of 21 is $500. The penalty for a second violation is $1,500 and a 30-day license suspension if it occurs within two years of the first. That is the law even if the second violation occurs within minutes of the first, a divided Iowa Supreme Court held in a Feb. 20 decision.
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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.