Iowa Supreme Court Justice Susan Christensen for Justice Bruce Zager
Justice Christensen, Harlan, was appointed to the Supreme Court in September 2018. She was born and raised in Harlan, Iowa. She earned her bachelor's degree from Judson College in 1988 and her law degree from Creighton University School of Law in 1991. Prior to her appointment to the supreme court, Justice Christensen was appointed a district associate judge in 2007 and a district court judge in 2015 in the Fourth Judicial District. Before becoming a judge, she practiced law in Harlan for 16 years. Justice Christensen chairs the Children's Justice State Council as well as the Family First and Prevention Services Act (FFPSA). She previously served on the Supreme Court's Family Law Pro Se Forms Committee, Child Support Guidelines Review Committee, and Parents Representation Standards Committee. She is a member of The Iowa State Bar Association, the Southwest Iowa Bar Association, and the Shelby County Bar Association.
Iowa Supreme Court Justice Christopher McDonald for Justice Daryl Hecht
Justice McDonald, Des Moines, was appointed to the Iowa Supreme Court in February 2019. He was born in Bangkok, Thailand. Justice McDonald earned his undergraduate degree from Grand View University in 1997 and his law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law in 2001, where he graduated with highest distinction and received Order of the Coif recognition. After graduation, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable David R. Hansen, United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Prior to being appointed to the supreme court, Justice McDonald served on the Iowa Court of Appeals from 2013 to 2019 and as a Judge of the District Court, Fifth Judicial District of Iowa. Prior to commencing service on the bench, Justice McDonald worked in private practice in Central Iowa. Justice McDonald is a member of the American Bar Association, Iowa State Bar Association, Polk County Bar Association, and the Iowa Judges Association.
Court of Appeals Judge David May for Judge David Danilson
Judge May, Polk City, was appointed to the Iowa Court of Appeals in April 2019. In February 2016, he was appointed as a district judge in Judicial Election District 5C. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri - Columbia, his Master of Public Health degree from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, and his law degree from Drake University Law School. Judge May previously practiced law with Bradshaw, Fowler, Proctor & Fairgrave, P.C., in Des Moines.
Court of Appeals Judge Sharon Soorholtz Greer for Judge Christopher McDonald
Judge Soorholtz Greer, Marshalltown, was appointed to the Iowa Court of Appeals in April 2019. She received double undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Child Development from Iowa State University and her law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law. Before her appointment, Judge Soorholtz Greer practiced law with Cartwright, Druker & Ryden in Marshalltown. She is a member of the American College of Trial Attorneys.
District Judge Amy Zacharias, District 4, for Judge Mark Eveloff
Judge Zacharias, Logan, was appointed district judge in March 2019. She was appointed district associate judge in December 2015. She received her BSBA from Creighton University in 1998 and her Juris Doctorate from Creighton University School of Law in 2001, Magna Cum Laude. She clerked for Judge John Irwin with the Nebraska Court of Appeals from 2001 to 2003, was an Associate with Childs & Hall, P.C. in Harlan from 2003 to 2005, and served as Assistant County Attorney in the Pottawattamie County Attorney’s Office from 2005 to 2015.
District Judge Alan Heavens, District 1, for Judge Margaret Lingreen
Judge Heavens, Garnavillo, was appointed to the bench in February 2019. He graduated from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, cum laude in 2007 and received his law degree from the same institution in 2010. He previously worked as the Clayton Country Attorney from 2011 to 2019 and was a partner at a small law firm from 2010 to 2019. He is a member of the Clayton County Bar Association. He is married with four children.
District Judge Celine Gogerty, District 5, for Judge Arthur Gamble
Judge Gogerty, Des Moines, was appointed to the bench in November 2018. She received her undergraduate degree from Drake University and her law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law. She previously served as an assistant county attorney in the Polk County Attorney’s Office.
District Judge Joseph Seidlin, District 5, for Judge Douglas Staskal
Judge Seidlin, Clive, received his undergraduate degree from Drake University and his law degree from Drake University Law School. He previously served as a district associate judge in Judicial Election District 5C.
District Judge Michael Hooper, District 4
Judge Hooper, Atlantic, was appointed to the bench in January 2019. He graduated with a bachelors degree in Sociology from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2006 and received his Juris Doctorate from Creighton School of Law in 2010. Before his appointment, he was the sole practitioner at Hooper Law Office from September 2010 to January 2018, as well as appointed as Cass County Attorney in January 2018. He is a member of the Iowa Bar Association.
District Judge Coleman McAllister, District 5, for Judge Karen Romano
Judge McAllister, West Des Moines, was appointed to the bench in April 2019. He received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Missouri. He previously served as an assistant attorney general in the Area Prosecutions Division of the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, and as the Sioux County Attorney in Orange City, Iowa.
District Judge Gina Badding, District 2, for Judge William Ostlund
Judge Badding, Carroll, was appointed to the bench in April 2019. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Religion with Honors from the University of Iowa in 2001, and her Juris Doctorate with Distinction from the University of Iowa in 2004. Before her appointment, she worked as an associate attorney and partner in private law, as well as a staff attorney for the Iowa Court of Appeals. She is a member of the Iowa State and Carroll County Bar Associations as well as the Coon-Rapids Rotary.
District Judge Amy Moore, District 2, for Judge Thomas Bice
Judge Amy Moore, Ames, was appointed to the bench in April 2019, after serving as a magistrate. She graduated from Iowa State University in 1999 and earned her law degree from Creighton University in 2002. She is a member of the Iowa State and Story County Bar Associations, as well as the Iowa Judges Association.
District Judge Margaret Reyes, District 4, for Judge Susan Christensen
Judge Reyes, Council Bluffs, was appointed to the bench in October 2018. Margaret “Maggie” Popp Reyes is a 1990 graduate of Creighton University and a 1993 graduate of Creighton University School of Law. Judge Reyes worked as an Assistant Pottawattamie County Attorney in charge of the office’s Civil Division from 2003 until her appointment. As an Assistant County Attorney, Maggie acted as legal counsel to the Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors, elected officials and department heads, and handled civil litigation matters including an ever-increasing caseload of post-conviction cases.
District Associate Judge Scott Strait, District 4, for Judge Gary Anderson
Judge Strait, Council Bluffs, was appointed to the bench in August 2018. He received his Bachelor's degree from Creighton University in 1991, graduating Magna Cum Laude. He received his law degree from Creighton University Law School in 1994, graduating Cum Laude. He is currently a member of the Pottawattamie County Bar Association, the Iowa Bar Association, and the Nebraska Bar Association.
District Associate Judge Brendan Greiner, District 5, for Judge Carol Egly
Judge Greiner, Des Moines, was appointed to the bench in December 2018. He received his undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Iowa State University and his law degree from Drake University Law School. Following law school, Judge Greiner worked for an Assistant Story County Attorney and served as an Assistant Polk County Attorney from 2010 until his appointment to the bench.
District Associate Judge Cynthia Finley, District 6, for Judge Susan Flaherty
Judge Finley, Cedar Rapids, was appointed to the district associate court bench in December 2018. She earned her undergraduate degree from Clemson University in 1984 and her law degree from the University of Iowa in 1985, with high distinction. She has worked as a judicial law clerk with the Sixth Judicial District of Iowa, with the Public Defender's Office as a contract attorney, the United Fire Group as a claims supervisor, the Linn County Advocate Office as a staff attorney, and served as a Linn County Magistrate from August 2007 to December 2018.
District Associate Judge Daniel Vakulskas, District 3, for Judge Robert Dull
Judge Vakulskas, Sioux City, was appointed to the bench in November 2018. He served as a Woodbury County magistrate from 2017 until his appointment as district associate judge.
District Associate Judge Kimberly Ayotte Renze, District 5, for Judge Joseph Seidlin
Judge Ayotte Renze, Des Moines, was appointed to the bench in January 2019.
District Associate Judge Jennifer Benson, District 4, for Judge Amy Zacharias
Judge Benson, Crescent, was appointed to the bench in May2019. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa in 2002 and her Juris Doctorate from Drake University School of Law in 2005. Judge Benson served as a law clerk for the Second Judicial District from 2005 to 2006. She was elected as the Humboldt County Attorney in 2006 and the Webster County Attorney in 2014. Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge Benson worked as an Assistant County Attorney in the Pottawattamie County Attorney’s Office.
Director of Human Resources Todd Sadler
Todd brings over 20 years of human resource experience and most recently served as the Director Office of Employee Services with the Iowa Department of Transportation. He previously served as the Director of Human Resources with Jasper County, Labor Manager with Des Moines Water Works, and Labor Relations Officer with the State of Iowa Department of Administrative Services. Todd earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Behavior from Grand View University and a Master of Science degree in Vocational Counseling from Drake University.
Director of Finance Kent Farver
Kent’s experience ranges from serving as an Iowa State Trooper after college to working as a Bureau Chief for the Division of Community Colleges within the Iowa Department of Education. Kent most recently served as the Director of Finance for Metro Waste Authority in Des Moines. Kent earned a Master Degree in Public Administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha with a specialization in budgeting and financial management. He has bachelor’s degrees in Accounting and Human Behavior from Grand View University in Des Moines. He is a Certified Public Accountant, a Certified Government Financial Manager, and a member of the Iowa Society of CPA’s and the Association of Government Accountants. He is a current member and past chair of the Iowa Society of CPA’s Governmental Accounting and Auditing Committee.
Director of Government Affairs Caitlin Jarzen
Caitlin previously served as the Director of Legislative Affairs and In-house Counsel for the Iowa Communications Alliance. Caitlin is a native Iowan who studied political science and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from The University of Iowa and a Juris Doctorate from Drake University Law School.
Research, Policy, and Planning Analyst Ross Loder
Ross received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology (criminology emphasis) and Political Science (public policy emphasis) from the University of Missouri and a Master of Public Policy degree from Vanderbilt University. He served as a Senior Research Associate for the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations from 1997 to 1999. Following service with the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, in 1999, he accepted a position as Research Director for the Tennessee Municipal League, and was later promoted to Deputy Director. In 2005, he ended service with the Tennessee Municipal League to accept the position of Policy Advisor for the Iowa Department of Public Safety. In 2012, he transitioned from the role of Policy Advisor to begin serving as Program Services Bureau Chief. In this role, he oversaw Iowa’s Uniform Crime Reporting program, as well as a professional licensing program, weapons permit program, and cigarette fire safety program.
District Four Court Administrator Bob Gast
Bob Gast, Council Bluffs, was hired as District Court Administrator on April 5, 2019. Bob was born in Fort Dodge, IA and served in the U.S. Army. While serving, he earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, University College in 1995. He served as the 4th District Finance and Personnel Manager from 2006-2010 and for the last 9 years served as a Deputy Court Administrator in the 4th District of Nebraska.
Public Information Assistant Marissa Gaal
Marissa received her Bachelors of Art in English Literature from the University of Northern Iowa in 2014, as well as a Digital Marketing Certificate from Des Moines Area Community College in 2017. Prior to working for the Iowa Judicial Branch, she served as the Marketing and Communications Coordinator for Iowa School Finance Information Services (ISFIS) from 2016 to 2018. Her experience and skills include social media marketing, video production and editing, copywriting, copyediting, and graphic design. Her duties include maintaining the Judicial Branch website, conducting tours of the Judicial Building, and assisting the court’s Communication Director.
Retirements
Supreme Court Justice Bruce Zager—retired September 3, 2018
Supreme Court Justice Daryl Hecht—retired December 13, 2018
Court of Appeals Judge David Danilson—retired January 4, 2019
Chief Judge Arthur Gamble, District 5—retired January 2, 2019
District Judge Mark Eveloff, District 4—retired December 31, 2018
District Judge Margaret Lingreen, District 1—retired December 31, 2018
District Judge Karen Romano, District 5—retired April 1, 2019
District Judge William Ostlund, District 2—retired April 4, 2019
District Judge Thomas Bice, District 2—retired April 6, 2019
District Associate Judge Gary Anderson, District 4—retired September 28, 2018
District Association Judge Carol Egly, District 5—retired November 1, 2018
Associate Juvenile Judge Susan Flaherty, District 5—retired January 2, 2019
District Associate Judge Robert Dull, District 5—retired January 2, 2019
Director of Finance Peggy Sullivan—retired December 15, 2018
District Four Court Administrator Kent Wirth