Deputy State Court Administrator John Goerdt will retire from the Iowa Judicial Branch December 31 after 23 years of service. Before his tenure at the branch began, he worked for 11 years as a staff attorney and senior research director for the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) in Williamsburg, VA. There, he had the opportunity to conduct major studies of the pace of civil and criminal litigation in 40 large urban trial courts across the country and similar studies of court delay in divorce, small claims, and traffic cases in urban courts. In 1998, in response to recommendations from a statewide task force on “Charting the Future of Iowa’s Courts,” the Iowa Supreme Court created a new position for a “Judicial Branch Planner” (i.e., a research, policy and planning analyst) to help the branch implement the more than 70 recommendations in the task force’s 1996 report. John was selected for the position. In February of 2007, David Boyd recommended John replace him as the Deputy State Court Administrator, and in 2021, he stepped up at the request of Chief Justice Christensen to act as Interim State Court Administrator for five months.
To celebrate his retirement, John reflected on some of his favorite projects and memories from his time at the judicial branch.
Q: What have been some of your favorite projects during your tenure at the branch?
A: I have not officially counted all the committees and task forces that I staffed or served on over the years, but there were a LOT of committees! A few of my favorites include:
Court Interpreter Policies Advisory Committee (1999-2000). At that time, we had no testing, training, or education requirements for court interpreters. There were no rules governing appointment of interpreters, number of interpreters, approval of written translations of court related materials, or standard fees for interpreters or translators. That committee, and a subsequent smaller work group, set us on a path toward development of a comprehensive set of court rules governing court interpreters, including establishment of certification exams, the creation of a statewide roster of court interpreters, and comprehensive guidelines on interpreter and translator compensation. All of these efforts have produced remarkable progress in providing access to justice for limited English proficient persons in Iowa.
Committee on Forms and Instructions for Self-Represented Litigants in Family Law Cases (2006-2007). This was one of my favorite committees ever! It included a group of very collegial, smart, and committed judges, attorneys, and court staff including, but not limited to: two chief judges, two terrific Iowa Legal Aid attorneys, and a family law attorney from Shelby County (now Chief Justice), Susan Christensen. That committee produced the original forms and instructions for self-represented litigants in family law cases and helped our courts start on the path toward providing greater access to justice for people who cannot afford an attorney.
Committee on Answers to Frequently Asked Questions from Unrepresented Persons (2020-2021).In 2000, a similar committee produced a resource manual titled Guidelines and Instructions for Clerks Who Assist Pro Se Litigants. This committee is especially memorable because I had the honor and pleasure to work very closely for many hours via Zoom with the co-chairs, Judges Kevin McKeever and Cheryl Traum, and assistant counsel to the Supreme Court Tim Eckley, reviewing and fine-tuning the answers to the FAQs. Our “gang of four” proved we could be very productive while having fun along the way! You can learn more about the resulting 317 answers to frequently asked questions on subjects ranging from abuse cases to warrants here.
Q: What large changes have been adopted in your time with the branch that have had a lasting impact?
A: First, the implementation of EDMS has, and will continue to have, a profound impact on how and where judges, court staff, attorneys, and other stakeholders manage their case-related workload. Second, the judicial branch has made significant and lasting progress in advancing access to justice for LEP persons (see above) and for persons who cannot afford an attorney through the creation and ongoing improvement in forms and instructions for self-represented persons. Third, advances in video conference platforms and the dramatic increase in our courts’ use of video conferencing during the pandemic has opened, and will continue to open, new possibilities for more efficient and effective communication with the public and the management of both court staff and judicial workloads.
Q: Is there any piece of advice you received early in your career that has stuck with you all of these years?
A: I think the best advice came from my parents early in my life: Work hard, do the best you can, be kind, and be grateful for the opportunities and help you receive along the way.
Q: Lastly, what are you most looking forward to about your retirement?
A: I plan to spend much more time reading, biking, hiking, writing, traveling, spending time with friends, listening to music, and attending live theater. So much to do, so little time.