UPDATES & ANALYSIS
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Iowa Supreme Court to hear arguments in two cases March 22
The Iowa Supreme Court will hear arguments in two cases March 22. Two other cases will be submitted to the Court without oral argument. Following are summaries of those cases. Go to On Brief’s “Cases in the Pipeline” page to read the briefs filed in these cases.
&nbs …
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In a Wapello County case, Iowa Supreme Court parses settlement agreement language on ‘derelict’ vehicles
When Wapello County set out to remove what it considered “derelict” vehicles from a residential property, the owners sued. The suit was dropped after the owners and the County reached a settlement in which the owners agreed to do the removal themselves to the County’s “satisfaction.”
The word “satisfaction” …
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Iowa Supreme Court to hear arguments in 11 cases Feb. 21 and 22
The Iowa Supreme Court will hear arguments in 11 cases Feb. 21 and Feb 22. Two additional cases will be submitted to the Court without oral arguments. Go to On Brief’s “Cases in the Pipeline” page to read the briefs submitted to the Court in these cases. Following are b …
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Iowa Supreme Court to hear a case with constitutional implications in Feb. 20 evening session
The Iowa Supreme Court will hear an oral argument in a special evening session Monday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m. in the Judicial Branch Building. The evening session is an opportunity for members of the public who might otherwise be unable to attend court sessions to witness an oral argument in person.
The case to be argued – …
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Detectives’ ‘distasteful’ deception crossed no constitutional lines, Iowa Supreme Court holds
The Iowa Supreme Court has for more than 60 years used what it has called a “common sense” standard for determining whether police officers cross a constitutional line by dangling the prospect of leniency before a criminal suspect that is likely to lead to a false confession.
Applying the precedent first enunciated i …
FEATURED POSTS
Work of Iowa Supreme Court continues during summer break between terms
Since the Iowa Supreme Court ended its 2022-23 term June 30 with release of all remaining decisions, the justices have been spending the summer months on court administration matters that could affect the practice of law and operation of Iowa courts for years to come.
Among the items on the Court’s administrative term …
Iowa Supreme Court seeks public comment on proposed rules governing remote court proceedings
During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Iowa Supreme Court created temporary rules for conducting remote trial and appellate proceedings when in-person hearings and trials were not considered safe.
Although Covid concerns have receded, Iowa judges, lawyers, and court administrators have recognized the need to con …
Iowa Code section 20.32 does not extend broader bargaining rights to nontransit employees, Iowa Supreme Court rules
In an opinion filed February 24, 2023, the Iowa Supreme Court in City of Ames v. Iowa Public Employment Relations Board ruled Iowa Code section 20.32 does not extend broader bargaining rights to nontransit employees in a bargaining unit made up of 30 percent or more transit employees. Justice Waterman delivered the …
Iowa Supreme Court holds subpoenas served on a non-party should have been quashed for imposing an undue burden
In an opinion filed on February 10, 2023, the Iowa Supreme Court in In the Matter of the Subpoenas Issued to Dethmers Manufacturing Company held subpoenas relating to a Louisiana products liability suit but issued from an Iowa court to a nonparty in Iowa imposed an undue burden under the Iowa Civil Rules of Procedu …
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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.