Iowa District Four
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Court
Iowa District Four is a district court in Iowa. It encompasses the counties of Audubon, Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie and Shelby.[1]
Judges
- Richard H. Davidson
- Mark J. Eveloff
- James S. Heckerman
- Kathleen A. Kilnoski
- Jeffrey L. Larson (Chief Judge)
- Greg W. Steensland
Associate Judges:
Senior Judges:
Magistrates
- Lindsay E. Andersen
- William T. Early
- Gary R. Englin
- Steven A. Heckenbach
- John P. Heithoff
- Dennis L. James
- Ronald L. Knight
- Karen L. Mailander
- C. Lyle Mayberry, Jr.
- Brian S. Mensen
- Ivan Miller
- James J. Nye
- Jesse A. Render
- Robert V. Rodenburg
- C. Kenneth Whitacre
- Jack J. White
Former judges
See also
External links
Elections
- See also: Iowa judicial elections
Iowa is one of 43 states that hold elections for judicial positions. To learn more about judicial selection in Iowa, click here.
- Iowa local trial court judicial elections, 2025
- Iowa local trial court judicial elections, 2024
- Iowa local trial court judicial elections, 2023
- Iowa local trial court judicial elections, 2022
- Iowa local trial court judicial elections, 2021
- Iowa local trial court judicial elections, 2020
- Iowa local trial court judicial elections, 2019
- Iowa local trial court judicial elections, 2018
- Iowa local trial court judicial elections, 2017
- Iowa local trial court judicial elections, 2016
- Iowa judicial elections, 2014
- Iowa judicial elections, 2012
- Iowa judicial elections, 2010
Selection method
Judges of the Iowa District Courts are all appointed by the governor with help from a nominating commission. When a vacancy occurs on one of the courts, the commission submits a list of three potential nominees to the governor, who appoints one to serve as judge. Newly appointed judges serve for one year after their appointment; they must then compete in a yes-no retention election (occurring during the regularly scheduled general election) if they wish to continue serving.[3]
The chief judge is selected by the state supreme court.[3]
To serve, a judge must be licensed to practice law in the state, a member of Iowa bar, a resident of the district and under the age of 72*.[3]
*Retirement at 72 is mandatory, though older judges may apply to become a senior judge. Senior judges must work a minimum of 13 weeks a year and are to receive a monthly retirement annuity and an annual stipend. They must retire at age 78 (or 80, if reappointed by the supreme court for additional one-year terms).[4]
Election rules
Retention election
In Iowa's retention elections, voters are asked to decide whether a judge should remain in office. The judge is retained for a new term if a majority of voters answers with a "yes" vote. If the majority responds with a "no" vote, the judge is removed from the bench at the end of the term.[5]
Judges must file for retention at least 104 days prior to the election which precedes the end of their term. If a judge does not file a declaration of candidacy, the term will become vacant upon expiration.[6]
According to a brochure released by the Iowa Judicial Branch, the purpose of Iowa's retention elections is to evaluate the competency of judges, as opposed to the popularity of their individual rulings.[5]
Footnotes
- ↑ Iowa Judicial Branch, "Fourth District Court," accessed November 9, 2015
- ↑ Iowa Judicial Branch, "District Four Judges and Magistrates," accessed September 4, 2014
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Iowa," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ Legislative Services Agency, "Judicial Retirement System," July 2013
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 American Judicature Society, "What you need to know about judicial retention elections: A guide to Iowa's judicial retention elections," 2012, accessed June 7, 2014
- ↑ The Iowa Legislature, "Election Laws of Iowa: 46.20 Declaration of candidacy," accessed June 20, 2016
Federal courts:
Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa
State courts:
Iowa Supreme Court • Iowa Court of Appeals • Iowa district courts
State resources:
Courts in Iowa • Iowa judicial elections • Judicial selection in Iowa