Des Moines, July 5, 2013 - The State Judicial Nominating Commission, which is responsible for selecting nominees for appointment to the Iowa Court of Appeals, announced today it will begin accepting applications to fill the vacancy that will occur when Court of Appeals Chief Judge Larry J. Eisenhauer retires September 30, 2013.

The Commission has sixty days to send a list of three nominees to the Governor, who makes appointments to the court.

The deadline for applications is August 12, 2013. Any citizen may submit in writing to the secretary of the commission, or to any commissioner, the names of persons for consideration as a candidate for nomination and express views concerning such candidate. Once the application time has run, the Commission will release the names of all applicants along with information about each applicant's background, experience, and qualifications.   This list and other information about the nominating commission and Iowa's merit selection process will be available on the Iowa Judicial Branch website: www.iowacourts.gov.

The Commission has set aside August 21 and 22, 2013, to interview applicants. Balloting to select a slate of three nominees will take place on August 22, 2013. The interviews will be held in the Supreme Court courtroom and will be open to the public. The interviews will also be streamed live on the Internet.

The 17-member commission is composed of a chair, who is the senior justice of the supreme court other than the chief justice, eight lawyer commissioners elected by lawyers licensed to practice law in Iowa and eight non-lawyer commissioners appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Iowa Senate. With the exception of the commission chair, membership on the commission is limited to one six-year term. Terms are staggered. The Iowa Constitution requires that commission members be chosen without regard to political affiliation.

Iowa's process for selecting judges through the use of nominating commissions is known as merit selection. Iowa voters approved the merit selection process in 1962 by constitutional amendment. Merit selection is designed to emphasize the professional qualifications of applicants for judicial appointment and minimize partisan politics. In keeping with this design, the Commission puts applicants for judicial office through a rigorous and thorough screening by reviewing extensive information about each applicant's background, education, professional skills, and experience. After the interviews, the commission sends the governor a slate of nominees. Iowa law requires nominees to be chosen "upon the basis of their qualifications and without regard to political affiliation." The governor is required to pick the new judge from this slate.

Important Notice to Applicants: To be eligible for appointment to the court of appeals, applicants must be a resident of the state, licensed to practice law in Iowa, and must be of such age that they will be able to serve an initial term (i.e., through December 31, 2014) and one regular term of office (six years or until December 31, 2020) before reaching the age of 72. To be most favorably considered for balloting, applicants for the vacancy on the court of appeals created when Chief Judge Eisenhauer retires must file a letter of intent with the secretary of the commission by August 8, 2013, and must submit completed application forms to the commission on or before August 12, 2013.

The names and addresses of the commission members and secretary are:

Chair

Justice David Wiggins

1111 East Court Ave.

Des Moines, IA 50319

Lawyer Members

Henry Bevel

327 East 4th Street, Ste. 300

Waterloo, IA 50704

Suzan Boden

P.O. Box 1557

Sioux City, IA 51102-1557

Christine Conover

115 Third Street SE, Ste. 1200

Cedar Rapids, IA 52401

Martin Diaz

528 South Clinton Street

Iowa City, IA 52240

Connie Diekema

699 Walnut Street, Ste. 1900

Des Moines, IA 50309

Jeff Goodman

1501 42nd Street, Ste. 300

West Des Moines, IA 50266

John Gray

1128 Historic 4th Street

Sioux City, IA 51102-1557

Dorothy O'Brien

2322 East Kimberly Road, Ste. 100E

Davenport, IA 52807

Appointed Members

Scott Bailey

1956 Clemens Street

Otley, IA 50214-8560

John Bloom

4820 Elm Street

West Des Moines, IA 50265-2995

Elizabeth Doll

77 Pelican Drive

Council Bluffs, IA 51501

Kathy Pearson

150 Thompson Drive SE, #120

Cedar Rapids, IA 52403-1740

Patricia "Trish" Roberts

732 San Salvador Avenue

Carroll, IA 51401

Helen Sinclair

2208 560th Avenue

Melrose, IA 52569-8502

Steve Sukup

1405 North Shore Drive

Clear Lake, IA 50428-1237

Jerry Welter

102 Jayne Drive

Monticello, IA 52310-1819

Secretary of the Commission

David K. Boyd

State Court Administrator

1111 E. Court Avenue

Des Moines, IA 50319

(515) 281-5241

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Des Moines, July 3, 2013 - The Wapello County Family Treatment Court and Associate Juvenile Judge William S. Owens received awards from the National Rural Drug Abuse Network, at that group's annual institute on drug and alcohol abuse.

The Wapello County Family Treatment Court was awarded the Harold E. Hughes, Exceptional Rural Program - Award of Excellence. This national award is given annually to a rural program that exemplifies outstanding contribution to the rural alcohol and drug abuse field by establishing exceptional services in the field that help to improve the lives of those who suffer the effects of alcohol and drug abuse.

Judge Owens was awarded the Harold E. Hughes, Exceptional Rural Professional - Award of Excellence. This award, also given annually at the National Rural Institute, goes to a rural professional who exemplifies outstanding contribution to the rural alcohol and drug abuse field.

"We are especially pleased to receive these awards because they are named in honor of former Iowa governor and senator, Harold E. Hughes, who dedicated his professional and personal life to providing appropriate treatment to individuals suffering from the disease of alcohol and drug addiction," Judge Owens said. "Our group is the first from Iowa to be honored with the Exceptional Rural Program Award, and I am only one of two Iowans to be individually honored as an exceptional rural professional".

Family drug courts focus on the welfare of children with parents who have substance abuse problems. The courts emphasize judge-led community collaborations that offer treatment for substance-abusing parents, while holding them accountable through intensive court supervision. As in adult drug courts, participants in family drug courts are required to take random and frequent drug tests and appear weekly before a judge. The goal is to reunite broken families.

Judge Owens is the Associate Juvenile Judge to District 8A, which includes Wapello County. He was appointed to the bench in 1999. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Kansas in 1981 and his law degree from Drake University Law School in 1984. He has previously received two additional awards for his work with the Wapello County Treatment Court.

These two prestigious national awards were presented at the award ceremony on June 11, 2013, at the University of Wisconsin - Stout in Menomonie, Wisconsin.

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Des Moines, (August 2, 2012) ?The Iowa Supreme Court today announced the calendar for its 2012-2013 adjudicative term, including special sessions to hear oral arguments in communities around the state. The court's adjudicative term is from September 2, 2012, to June 30, 2013.

The court will hear oral arguments in Ottumwa, Waterloo, Sioux City, and Dubuque. The sessions are scheduled for the evening for the convenience of members of the public who wish to attend.   Each of Iowa's two law schools will also host oral arguments with limited seating for the public, and there will be a special evening session in Des Moines for central Iowa residents who may not have been able to attend the court's regular morning and afternoon sessions in the past.

The court's special session schedule:

The court will continue its regular schedule of oral arguments in Des Moines during the adjudicative term. All supreme court oral arguments are open to the public.

"After visiting several Iowa communities to hear oral arguments, we confirmed there is a real interest throughout the state in seeing the supreme court at work," Chief Justice Mark Cady said. "Iowans are very interested to hear about the role of the courts and see what we do as justices of the supreme court."

Between May, 2011, and April, 2012, the supreme court heard oral arguments in Cedar Rapids, Mason City, Carroll, Council Bluffs and Bettendorf. Coinciding with each visit, the justices met with high school government and American history classes. Justices of the supreme court visited 36 schools in 21 cities.

"We also plan to continue our school visits," Chief Justice Cady said. "My colleagues and I enjoy visiting with young people about our responsibilities on the supreme court, the Iowa court system, and to answer questions students may have about the judicial branch of government. The students always have excellent questions, and by meeting with them we hope to help explain the role of the courts within our constitutional democracy."

The court will continue its regular schedule of oral arguments in Des Moines during the adjudicative term. All supreme court oral arguments are open to the public.

The court's complete calendar for its 2012-2013 term is attached.

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Des Moines, June 6, 2012–The Iowa Supreme Court has approved more than $231,000 in grants to non-profit programs that provide legal assistance to low-income Iowans with civil legal problems. The court awarded grants to fourteen different organizations throughout Iowa. The grants are funded by the Interest on Lawyers' Trust Account (IOLTA) program. The IOLTA program is funded without state appropriations and at no cost to lawyers or their clients. With this year's grants, the Supreme Court has awarded over $23 million in IOLTA grants since the program began on July 1, 1985.

"In the civil justice system, low income Iowans with legal matters such as divorce, domestic abuse or unsafe housing are not guaranteed an attorney and often are unable to afford one," Chief Justice Mark Cady said. "This year's IOLTA grant recipients help to bridge that gap and increase access to justice for those Iowans and help to improve our justice system."

IOLTA grant funds are generated entirely from interest earned on certain pooled trust accounts held by Iowa lawyers. Lawyers practicing in Iowa are required by court order to deposit clients' funds the lawyers hold in interest-bearing accounts. When the funds involved are so small in amount or held for such a brief period of time that it is not possible for the funds to generate sufficient interest to economically benefit the individual client, court rules require that they be deposited in pooled interest-bearing trust accounts.

The IOLTA program is managed by a seven-member commission that reviews grant applications and then makes award recommendations to the supreme court. In the 26-year history of the IOLTA program, most of the grant awards have supported organizations that assist low-income Iowans with civil legal problems. Law-related education projects have also received grants. IOLTA grants do not support criminal legal defense.

The supreme court awarded the following grants for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012, and ending June 30, 2013:

Iowa Legal Aid (Des Moines)–$102,900.00

For legal staff to serve regional offices of the grantee in an established program of civil case assistance to low-income Iowans. (Service area: statewide.)

HELP Through Education and Law Program, Inc. (Davenport)–$14,980.00

For legal staff to offer civil legal assistance to indigent and elderly persons, particularly in the areas of domestic relations, community legal education, service to the institutionalized elderly and domestic abuse, and administrative advocacy. (Service area: Scott and Clinton counties.)

Muscatine Legal Services–$5,000.00

For additional legal staff to maintain an existing program of civil legal assistance to low-income residents. (Service area: Muscatine County.)

Legal Aid Society of Story County (Nevada)–$7,000.00

For legal staff support to offset demand for legal assistance for low-income persons. (Service area: Story County.)

Polk County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project (Des Moines)–$26,180.00

For staff for volunteer lawyer referral service in Polk County serving the low-income community. (Service area: Polk County.)

Sioux County Low Fee Panel, Sioux County Bar Association (Sioux Center) –$1,575.00

For funds to provide civil legal assistance for economically disadvantaged individuals in the Sioux County area. (Service area: Sioux County.)

Iowa State Bar Association Public Service Project (Des Moines)–$26,530.00

For staff and technical support to increase the participation of attorneys in existing volunteer lawyer projects for indigent Iowans and provide assistance to legal service agencies. (Service area: statewide.)

Civil Legal Assistance Fund (Mason City)–$5,000.00

For funds to provide civil legal assistance to low-income fathers, mothers, or children involved in dissolution of marriage or modification cases in which other legal assistance is not available. (Service area: Second Judicial District.)

Know Your Constitution Committee of the Young Lawyers Division, Iowa State

Bar Association (Des Moines)–$2,565.00

For funds for the Know Your Constitution Program, to provide education to Iowa high school students about the United States Constitution. (Service area: statewide.)

Clinical Law Program, Drake University Law School Legal Clinic (Des Moines)–$7,280.00

For funds to continue the Poverty Law Internship Program, a clinical law program in which upper level law students intern with legal service providers throughout the state. (Service area: statewide.)

Iowa Legal Aid (Des Moines)–$17,500.00

For legal staff support to continue the Legal Hotline for Older Iowans.

(Service area: statewide.)

Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault (Des Moines) –$4,400.00

For funds to support law-related education and attorney training specific to the issues of sexual assault on Iowa youth. (Service area: statewide.)

Iowa Justice For Our Neighbors (Des Moines)–$5,000.00

For funds to provide legal services to low-income immigrants involved in removal proceedings or other immigration-law matters. (Service area: statewide.)

Kids First Law Center (Cedar Rapids)–$2,650.00

For funds to provide legal services to children in high-conflict divorce and custody cases when their parents cannot afford counsel for them. (Service area: Linn and Johnson counties.)

Centerville Community Betterment (Centerville)–$2,500.00

For funds to provide civil legal assistance for economically disadvantaged individuals. (Service area: Appanoose and Monroe counties.)

For further information contact:

Paul H. Wieck II, Director

Office of Professional Regulation

Judicial Branch Building

1111 East Court Avenue

Des Moines, IA 50319

Telephone: (515) 725-8029