JUDICIAL BRANCH

IOWA SUPREME COURT

Statehouse, Des Moines 50319;
515/281-5174

The Iowa Supreme Court is composed of eight* justices and the regular term of office for a justice of the Supreme Court is eight years. The appointee must stand for retention for a full term at the first judicial election preceding expiration of the regular term. Justices elect one of their numbers as chief justice to hold office until the expiration of the term.

The Supreme Court is required to hold court at the seat of state government and elsewhere as the court orders and at the times the court orders. The Supreme Court has general appellate jurisdiction in both civil and criminal cases. The Supreme Court has authority to supervise the trial court, to prescribe the procedure in matters brought before it and the rules for admission of attorneys to the practice. It also has the power to prescribe rules of civil and appellate procedure. Any rules prescribed by the Supreme Court and reported to the Legislature become effective unless changed by the Legislature.

The salary for the chief justice is $114,000; the salary for the other justices is $109,900.

* The number of justices will be reduced to 7 in the 2000.

McGIVERIN, Arthur A. - Ottumwa

Chief Justice, Iowa Supreme Court

Birth: November 10, 1928, Iowa City. Education:B.S.C. (with high honors, president of College of Commerce class) University of Iowa, 1951; J.D. (with honors, member of the board of editors of law review), University of Iowa, 1956. Military Service: University of Iowa R.O.T.C. cadet colonel; brigade commander of all Army and Air Force R.O.T.C. students, 1950-51; U.S. Army Signal Corps, 1946-48; Infantry, 1951-53. Spouse: Joan Kuntz. Children: 4. Profession and Activities: Private law practice, 1956-1965; Alternate municipal judge (part-time), 1960-1965; Judge, Iowa District Court, 1965-1978; Member: Supreme Court Commission on Continuing Legal Education, 1975-78; Iowa State Bar Assoc. Comm. on Uniform Jury Instructions, 1972-78; Wapello Co. Bar Assoc.; American Law Institute; Lecturer on trial practice; Past-President of Conference of Chief Justices; Past chair of National Center for State Courts Board of Directors; Member of Board of Directors for the State Justice Institute; Appointed Chief Justice, Oct. 1, 1987. Term: ends November 10, 2000.

CADY, Mark S. - Ft. Dodge

Birth: July 12, 1953, Rapid City, S.D. Education: Drake University, B.A., 1975; J.D., 1978. Spouse: Rebecca Imus Cady. Children: Kelsi and Spencer. Profession and Activities: Legal practice, Fort Dodge, 1979-1983; Law clerk, Second Judicial District, 1978-1979; Assistant County Attorney, Webster County, 1979-1980; Adjunct instructor, Buena Vista University, 1980-present; District Assoc. Judge, 1983-1986; District Court Judge, 1986-1994; Judge, Iowa Court of Appeals, 1994-1998 (Chief Judge, 1997-1998); member, Webster County and Iowa State Bar Assoc.; Chair, Supreme Court's Task Force on the Court's and Communities' Response to Domestic Abuse, 1993-1994; Elder, First Presbyterian Church; Author; Curbing Litigation Abuse and Misuse: A Judicial Response, 36 Drake L. Rev. 483 (1987). Appointed to Iowa Supreme Court, October 16, 1998. Term: ends December 31, 2002.

CARTER, James H. - Cedar Rapids

Birth: January 18, 1935, Waverly. Education: Graduated Clarksville High School, 1952; B.A., University of Iowa, 1956; J.D., University of Iowa College of Law, 1960. Spouse: Jeanne Emmons. Children: 2. Profession and Activities: Law clerk to Hon. Henry N. Graven, U.S. District Court, 1960-1962. General practice of law with Shuttleworth & Ingersoll, Cedar Rapids, 1962-1973. Judge, 6th District, 1973-1976. Appointed to Iowa Supreme Court by Gov. Robert Ray, August, 1982. Member: American and Iowa State Bar Association.
Term: ends December 31, 2000.

 

 

HARRIS, K. David - Jefferson

Birth: July 29, 1927, Jefferson. Parents: Orville W. and Jessie Smart Harris. Education: Jefferson public schools and the University of Iowa, B.A. and J.D. Military Service: Army veteran of World War II - 7th Infantry Division, Pacific Theatre. Spouse: Madonna Coyne of Jefferson. Children: 3. Profession and Activities: Practiced law at Jefferson, 1951-1962. Greene County attorney, 1959-1962. District Judge, 1962-1972. Appointed justice of Iowa Supreme Court, January 1972, by Gov. Robert Ray. Term: ends December 31, 2006.

LARSON, J. L. - Harlan

Birth: May 17, 1936, Harlan. Education: Graduate, University of Iowa, 1958; J.D., 1960. Spouse: Debra Larson. Children: 4. Profession and Activities: Shelby County attorney, 1965-1970. Practiced law until appointment to District Court in 1975. Appointed to Iowa Supreme Court by Gov. Robert Ray in 1978. Term: ends December 31, 2004.

LAVORATO, Louis A. - Des Moines

Birth: September 29, 1934, Des Moines. Parents: Charles and Catherine Lavorato. Education: B.S., B.A., Drake University, 1959. J.D., Drake University Law School, 1962. Order of the Coif. Assistant editor, Drake Law Review. Military Service: U.S. Army, 1953-1955. Spouse: Janis Lavorato. Children: 4. Profession and Activities: Practiced law in Des Moines, 1962-1979. District Court judge, 1979-1986. Chief judge, 5th Judicial District, 1983-1986. Member: Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers; Polk, Iowa State, and American Bar Associations. Appointed justice of Iowa Supreme Court, January, 1986, by Gov. Terry Branstad. Term: ends December 31, 2004.

NEUMAN, Linda K. - LeClaire

Birth: June 18, 1948, Chicago, Illinois. Parents: Harold S. and Mary E. Kinney. Education: Regent scholar, University of Colorado, 1970; J.D. University of Colorado
School of Law, 1973. Spouse: Henry G. Neuman of Davenport. Children: 2 daughters, Emily and Lindsey. Profession and Activities: Practiced law with Davenport firm of Betty, Neuman, McMahon, Hellstrom & Bittner until 1979. Vice-president and trust officer, Bettendorf Bank and Trust Company, 1979-1980. Chairperson, Appellate Judges' Conference of the American Bar Association, 1994-1995. Fellow, American Bar Foundation. Part-time judicial magistrate for Scott County, 1980-1982. Appointed District Court judge by Governor Robert Ray in 1982. Appointed to the Supreme Court by Governor Terry Branstad, July 25, 1986. Term: ends December 31, 2004.

SNELL, Bruce M. Jr. - Ida Grove

Birth: August 18, 1929, Ida Grove. Parents: Justice Bruce M. and Donna Potter Snell. Education: Ida Grove public schools; B.A., Grinnell College, 1951; J.D., University of Iowa, 1956. Military Service: U.S. Army veteran. Spouse: Anne Fischer of Meservey, 1956. Children: 1 daughter, Rebecca; 1 son, Brad. Profession and Activities: Order of Coif. Comments editor, Iowa Law Review. Admitted to Iowa and New York bars. Law clerk to Judge Henry N. Graven, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Iowa, 1956-1957. Iowa assistant attorney general, 1961-1965. Member: Methodist Church, Kiwanis, Shrine, Iowa State and American Bar Associations. Appointed by Gov. Robert Ray to Iowa Court of Appeals, September 23, 1976, served until appointed by Gov. Terry Branstad to Iowa Supreme Court, October 8, 1987. Term: ends August 18, 2001.

TERNUS, Marsha K. - Des Moines

Birth: May 30, 1951, Vinton, Iowa. Parents: David and Shirlene Ternus. Education: B.A. with Honors and with High Distinction, University of Iowa, 1972; J.D. with Honors, Drake University, 1977. Spouse: Denny Drake. Children: 2 daughters, Whitney and Brooklyn; 1 son, Rob. Profession and Activities: Order of the Coif. Editor in Chief, Drake Law Review, 1976-1977. Admitted to Iowa and Arizona bars. Practiced law in Des Moines with firm of Bradshaw, Fowler, Proctor and Fairgrave until appointed by Gov. Terry Branstad to the Iowa Supreme Court in 1993. Term: ends December 31, 2002.