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The supreme court recently traveled to Denison to hear oral arguments in the beautiful Donna Reed Theater. It was the 32nd community to welcome the supreme court since 2011 and was a wonderful experience. My first “Court on the Road” was to Red Oak in 2018, the year I joined the court. I have only been on five such visits because we paused during the worst of COVID-19. I found each community to be welcoming and each visit to be rewarding. During the day, the justices fan out and visit schools and colleges in the area to meet with students and teachers. The students are always well informed and the questions very insightful. We then hear oral arguments in the evening, after dinner, so it’s convenient for people to attend. After the arguments, we join the audience for a public reception.
The receptions are our best opportunities, as a court, to meet with people from around the state. Everyone we talk to is interested in the courts and our conversations are enlightening. We also use the reception as a chance to tell people about the important work that you do. Most people have a general understanding of the justice system in Iowa but many don’t know about our special programs that are helping people in their communities. We talk about important efforts such as treatment courts, or the work the courts and juvenile court officers do to divert youthful offenders from detention. We are frequently asked for more details about the work you do every day. With the variety of services our branch offers—the day-to-day services provided by clerks of court, judicial specialists, court reporters, and local courthouse staff—there is never a lack of work or people to brag about.
I think we can all brag a bit about our work. As I wrote in my Thanksgiving letter, “democracy does not work without the courts and the courts do not work without you.” Your work is critically important and you should be proud of what you do. I am very proud of what you do.