PUBLIC HEARINGS AND LITIGATION

Hearing Officer - Barbara Snethen

The hearing officer presides over administrative hearings for the Iowa Civil Rights Commission statewide, assists in the rulemaking process, and handles special assignments not inconsistent with hearing officer duties.


ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL - Ray Pery, Shirley Steele

The duties of the Assistant Attorney Generals for the Iowa Civil Rights Commission include advising the Commission regarding an legal problems, drafting departmental rules, participating in seminars to educate the public, and representing the Commission in administrative hearings and court actions. Each of these Assistant Attorney Generals handles per month on the average of two to three administrative hearings, two to six court appearances, and three to nine briefs and/or case preparations.


Barbara Snethen

Barbara Snethen became the first permanent hearing officer for the Iowa Civil Rights Commission when she started with the agency in August of 1977.

Ms. Snethen, a native of Urbandale, received her Bachelor of Science degree in political science from Iowa State University in 1973 and her law degree from Drake in 1977.

From 1973-1976 Ms. Snethen held the position of executive director for the Campaign Finance Disclosure Commission. During 1976-1977 Ms. Snethen was employed by the Public Employee Relations Board as an elections agent conducting collective bargaining elections for the State.

Ms. Snethen is currently treasurer for the Polk County Women Attorney's Association; a board member for the Big Brother - Big Sister program for the City of Des Moines and a big sister herself; a member of the Iowa Women's Political Caucus; a member of the Iowa Association of Administrative Hearing Officers; and a member of the Polk County Bar Association, the Iowa State Bar Association, and the American Bar Association.

Ray Perry

Mr. Perry is a native of Davenport, Iowa. He was appointed Assistant Attorney General assigned to the Iowa Civil Rights Commission in September of 1977. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in history education from the University of Iowa (1971). Related course work included sociology, political science and economics. Mr. Perry also earned his law degree from the University of Iowa in May of 1975 and he joined the Bar in June of that year.

Mr. Perry brought a variety of experience to his present position. WLOL Radio (Minneapolis) employed Mr. Perry as a talk show moderator for the year prior to his entering law school. During the summer after his admission to the Bar, he did criminal prosecutions as Assistant County Attorney in Dickinson County, Iowa. Thereafter, his experience includes being Director of the Muscatine Legal Aid Office, going back to radio again as a talk show moderator at WHO (Des Moines) and pursuing his own private law practice.

In addition to the Bar Association, Mr. Perry is a member of the NAACP, NARAL and is an active welfare rights advocate.

Shirley Steele

Ms. Steele was appointed Assistant Attorney General assigned to the Iowa Civil Rights Commission in February, 1977. She hails from Salisbury, North Carolina, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology (cum laude) from Livingstone College (1974). She attained her law degree from Drake University (1976).

Prior to college Ms. Steele had five years experience as a Psychiatric Nursing Assistant. While attending Livingstone she was secretary for the college's Office of Federal Relations. During law school she held the position of Research Clerk for various Des Moines law firms and the Iowa Supreme Court.

Governor Robert Ray currently has appointed Ms. Steele to the Iowa Commission on the Status of Women. Other professional affiliations include the Iowa State Bar Association, the Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity, the Polk County Women's Bar Association and the NAACP Legal Redress Committee.

 

The following is a complete list of all the cases that went to public hearing, state district court and Iowa Supreme Court during the biennium. The reader can find a more in-depth presentation of each of these cases, including findings of fact and conclusions of law, by requesting the booklet entitled, Iowa Civil Rights Commission Case Reports, 1965 -1977 or Iowa Civil Rights Commission Case Reports, 1978.

 

HEARINGS BEFORE THE COMMISSION IN FY 77

Case Basis/Area of Jurisdiction Comments
American Chain and Cable Company vs. the Iowa Civil Rights Commission Sex/Employment

(Exclusion of pregnancy from disability benefits)

-submitted by stipulation

- Commission ruled in favor of Complainant

- Respondent appealed to district court

Vickie Bishop and Kathy Marie John vs. Franklin Manufacturing Company Sex/Employment (Exclusion of pregnancy from disability benefits)
Mary Gimbel Pitcher, Pamela A. Shaner, Olga Lavan, Sally J.Riewarts, Jo Ann Rae Hoogland, Judy Ann Seitz vs. Davenport Community School District Sex/Employment (Exclusion of pregnancy from disability benefits)
Genevieve Sullivan and Florence Thurston vs. Mc Coys - Stampfers, Inc., dba Stampfers Department Store and Johnson Hills, Inc. Age/Employment (Termination)

 

CASES TRIED IN DISTRICT COURT IN FY 77

Case Basis/Area of Jurisdiction Comments
Jan J. Zonneveld vs. Life Investors Insurance Co. Age/Employment

(Termination)

- default judgment against Iowa Civil Rights Commission

- remanded to Iowa Civil Rights Commission

 

HEARINGS BEFORE THE COMMISSION IN FY 78*

Case Basis/Area of Jurisdiction Comments
Annabelle Brown vs. Farmers Cooperative of Gilman Iowa, Inc. Sex/Employment (Replaced by less qualified male - Termination)
Linda Davis vs. Bookey Packing Company Sex/Employment  
Hazel Farnum vs. Hoerner-Waldorf Disability/Employment  
Patimah Hasan Fouts vs. Ford Marketing Corporation Sex; Nation Origin/Employment Failure to hire
Mary Ann Garrigan vs. Woodbury County Community Action Agency Sex/Employment  
Wanda McLaughlin vs. Deluxe Manufacturing Company Sex/Employment (Exclusion from pregnancy benefits)
Marylin Pates vs. Clopay Corp. Sex/Employment (Exclusion of pregnancy benefits from disability benefits)
Kathrine Quakenbush vs. Monarch Manufacturing Sex/Employment (Unequal pay)
Mary Quigley vs. Linn Cooperative Sex/Employment  
Elmer Reinders vs. City of Orange City Age/Employment (Failure to hire)
Deborah Rodewald vs. Dunn's Funeral Home + Sex/Employment (Failure to hire)
Greg Schmidt vs. University of Iowa Sex/Employment (Failure to hire)
Dr. Edward J. Schuster vs. Loras College Age/Employment (Termination)
Kathleen Tiernan vs. Des Moines County Board of Supervisors Sex/Employment  
Nannette Tollakson vs. United Community School District Sex/Employment  
Sister Annette Walters vs. Ambrose College Sex and Age/Employment  
Linda Winston vs. Woodbury County Community Action Agency Race/Employment  
Wilma Worley vs. the Chuck Wagon Sex/Employment (Termination due to unmarried pregnancy)
Jan Zonneveld vs. Life Investors Age/Employment Dismissed: Complainant appealed to district court.

*More cases were heard before the Iowa Civil Rights Commission in FY 78 than in all the previous ten years combined.

+This case was heard but settled before a decision was rendered. In FY 78, six cases scheduled for heating were settled before they were actually heard.

 

 

CASES TRIED IN DISTRICT COURT IN FY 78

Case Basis/Area of Jurisdiction Comments
Catherine L. Akers vs. Iowa Civil Rights Commission Sex/Employment Appeal from agency no probable cause finding. Dismissed.
American Chain and Cable vs. Iowa Civil Rights Commission Sex/Employment

(Exclusion of pregnancy from disability benefits)

- Appeal from agency order; remanded to Iowa Civil Rights Commission.

Asadollah Azadzasdefard vs. Iowa Civil Rights Commission National Origin/Employment Appeal from a no probable cause finding by the agency. Dismissed.
Annabelle B. Brown vs. Farmers Cooperative of Gilman, Iowa, Incorporated Sex/Employment Judicial Review of agency order. Dismissed with settlement payment of $36,000.00.
Melvin Butler vs. Iowa Civil Rights Commission Sex/Employment Appeal from agency finding of no probable cause. Pending.
City of Cedar Rapids vs. Iowa Civil Rights Commission Age; Physical Disability; Race and National Origin/Employment Challenge to agency's declaratory ruling on city's employment criteria for fire fighters. Pending.
City of Davenport vs. Steven Overton Race/Employment Appeal by respondent from an order of the agency. Judicial review of agency order.
Davenport Community School District vs. Iowa Civil Rights Commission Sex/Employment Appeal from order of Commission. Exclusion of pregnancy from disability benefits.
Frederick Estabrook vs. Iowa Civil Rights Commission Age/Employment Appeal from a no probable cause finding of the agency.
Mary Fishler vs. Iowa Civil Rights Commission Physical Disability/Employment Appeal from agency no probable cause finding. Dismissed.
Hicks vs. Woodford Mfg. Co. Physical Disability/Employment

Challenge to agency investigative subpoena power.

-Court narrowed subpoena, but upheld agency subpoena power.

Raymond Hirsch vs. Iowa Civil Rights Commission Age & Physical Disability/Employment

Appeal from no probable cause finding

- originally age/employment Dismissed.

Wanda Smith Jones vs. Iowa Civil Rights Commission Disability/Employment Appeal from a no probable cause finding of the agency.
Linn Cooperative Oil Co. vs. Iowa Civil Rights Commission Sex/Employment Appeal from order of Commission finding sex discrimination.
Marilyn Little vs. Homer Miller Race/Housing

(Failure to rent)

- injunction granted

Marilyn Little vs. Homer Miller Race/Housing

(attempted eviction)

-judge refused to grant injunction

- ordered eviction

Wayne Oliver vs. Teleprompter Corporation - dba Teleprompter of Dubuque Age & Sex/Employment Appeal from a no probable cause finding of the agency
Merle Peterson vs. Iowa Civil Rights Commission Race/Employment

Appeal from a no probable cause finding of the agency

- (Complainant was white) Remanded to the agency for further proceeding.

Rubin Pierson vs. John Deere Ottumwa Works Race/Employment Appeal from agency no probable cause finding. Dismissed.
Kathleen Veal vs. Lee Zesh Race/Housing

(Eviction)

- Ex parte injunction granted to allow investigation

- results of subsequent investigation cannot be disclosed due to confidentiality restrictions.

Eugene Vislisel vs. Iowa Civil Rights Commission, Harriette Bruce and Gil Sperling Sex/Employment Appeal from a no probable cause finding of the agency.
Linda and Annie Williams vs. John H. Meyers Associates Race/Housing

(Attempted eviction)

- injunction granted to allow investigation

- results of subsequent investigation cannot be disclosed due to confidentiality restrictions.

Jan Zonneveld vs. Iowa Civil Rights Commission Age/Employment Appeal from a finding of no probable cause.

 

 

CASES APPEALED TO SUPREME COURT OF IOWA FY 78

Case Basis/Area of Jurisdiction Comments
American Chain and Cable vs. Iowa Civil Rights Commission Sex/Employment

Appeal from district court ruling.

(Exclusion of pregnancy from disability benefits).

Pending.

Davenport Community School District vs. Iowa Civil Rights Commission Sex/Employment

Appeal from district court ruling.

(Exclusion of pregnancy from disability benefits)

Pending.

Franklin Mfg. Co. vs. Iowa Civil Rights Commission Sex/Employment

(Exclusion of pregnancy from disability benefits)

- Remanded to the district court

Pending.

Hoth vs. Iowa Civil Rights Commission Sex/Employment Certiorari request from district court's ruling that appeal from no probable cause should be decided solely on the record. Forwarded by the agency. Result: certiorari denied.
Loras College vs. Iowa Civil Rights Commission Age/Employment

Appeal from district court ruling that Commission's investigative and quasi-judicial powers are inconsistent.

Pending.

Quaker Oats Co. vs. Iowa Civil Rights Commission, Cedar Rapids Human Rights Commission Sex/Employment

(Exclusion of pregnancy from disability benefits)

-Remanded to the district court.

 

 

CASES HANDLED BY THE CIVIL RIGHTS SECTION

OF THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

BIENNIUM COMMISSION DISTRICT COURT SUPREME COURT
1969-70 3 4 1
1971-72 18 8 4
1973-74 17 (9 settled) 6 6
ANNUAL      
1974-75 10 (6 settled) 9 -
1975-76 22 13 4
1976-77 6 15 2
1977-78 19 23 6

 

1977/78 Biennial Report Main Page