Justice McDonald Archives - Nyemaster Goode On Brief

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.

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Man deserves day in court to avoid losing his home over $220 delinquent tax bill, Iowa Supreme Court rules

by Rox Laird | 1.27

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 sides with first-in-time tenant in conflict between pet allergy and emotional support animal

by Matt McGuire | 8.04

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 …

Iowa Supreme Court stands by its ‘continuing storm’ doctrine in slip-and-fall suits

by Rox Laird | 6.12

“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 …

November 2024 Opinion Roundup

The Iowa Supreme Court entered opinions in eleven cases in November 2024. In addition to the four cases covered in individual stories on the blog, the remaining opinions from November are summarized below.

Iowa Supreme Court to hear arguments in 10 cases Dec. 17 and 18

The Iowa Supreme Court will hear arguments in 10 cases Dec. 17 and 18, and three other cases will be submitted to the Court without oral argument. Following are brief summaries of the December cases.

No Fourth Amendment violation in vehicle search after drug-sniffing dog sticks its nose through an open window, Iowa Supreme Court holds

The Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable search and seizure was not violated when a drug detection dog inserted its nose into the open window of a suspect’s vehicle, the Iowa Supreme Court held in a divided Dec. 6 decision.

Landowners challenging DOT eminent domain action missed a critical filing deadline, Iowa Supreme Court holds

Owners of farmland in Story County seeking to block the Iowa Department of Transportation’s condemnation of part of their property for a highway project succeeded in getting their appeal before the Iowa Supreme Court even after missing one filing deadline, but they lost their bid to revive their case in district court because they missed a second and critical deadline.

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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.

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