ICRA Disability Claims: Intentional Disparate Treatment Required; “Stereotypes” Instruction Error; Post-Misconduct Accommodation Requests Are Untimely Case: Matthew Lewis Hunter v. City of Des...
Employer Compromise Settlement Must Fix Permanent-Disability Liability to Preserve Second Injury Fund Claim Case: Sarah Kingsbury v. Second Injury Fund of Iowa Court: Supreme Court of Iowa Date:...
Attorney–Client Privilege as an Implied Limit on the Iowa Auditor’s Chapter 11 Subpoena Power Case: City of Davenport v. Office of Auditor of State of Iowa (Iowa Apr. 17, 2026) Court: Supreme Court...
Ethics as “Professional Competency”: Broad Reading of Iowa’s Closed-Session Evaluation Exception and Confidentiality for Draft IBOEE Complaints I. Introduction In Dr. Paul R. Gausman v. Sioux City...
Iowa Criminal Jurisdiction Is a Nonwaivable Statutory Prerequisite Decided by the Court, Not a Jury Element Introduction Case: State of Iowa v. Dillon Michael Heiller (Iowa Supreme Court, Apr. 17,...
Iowa Reaffirms No Duty Owed by General Contractors to Subcontractor Employees Absent Operative Retained Control or a “Peculiar Risk” Case: Timothy Kono v. D.R. Horton, Inc. and D.R. Horton-Iowa, LLC...
Appellate Record Failure Requires Affirmance of Settlement Enforcement Treated as a Bench Trial Case: In re the marriage of Johnathon Sprague and Lanora Sprague (Iowa Supreme Court, Apr. 3, 2026)...
Mandate Rule Trumps Voluntary Dismissal: Appellate-Directed Dismissals “With Prejudice” Are Final, Preclusive Judgments Court: Supreme Court of Iowa Date: April 3, 2026 Case: Gloria Ann Shontz, as...
Settlement Payment Letters Do Not Moot an Appeal; Closing-Argument Error Must Be Preserved by Timely Mistrial Motion I. Introduction Case: Matthew McQuillen and Elizabeth McQuillen, individually and...
Drainage Districts Are Not “Cities or Counties” Under Iowa Code § 307.45; Highway Assessments Must Exclude Motorist Convenience Benefits I. Introduction In State of Iowa, ex rel. Iowa Department of...
Premises-Warrant “Physical Possession” Rule: Unnamed Visitors’ Containers May Be Searched Unless Being Held, Worn, or Carried I. Introduction State of Iowa v. Andrew Jay Porter (Iowa Mar. 27, 2026)...
Remote Post-Theft Possession Alone Is Insufficient to Prove Iowa “Theft by Taking” I. Introduction In State of Iowa v. Dillon Michael Heiller (Iowa Mar. 20, 2026), the Iowa Supreme Court reviewed two...
Deliberate Defiance of Appellate Filing Orders Constitutes Professional Misconduct and Warrants a Public Reprimand Case: Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board v. Stephen K. Allison Court:...
Falsified Disciplinary Evidence and Systemic Dishonesty: Two-Year Suspension with MPRE Condition (Revocation Reserved for Client-Fund Conversion) I. Introduction In Iowa Supreme Court Attorney...
Once a Good-Cause Extension Is Granted Under Iowa Code § 668.11, the Extended Deadline Controls—and Late-Stage Reversion to the Original Deadline Is an Abuse of Discretion Case: Jenna Sondag v....
Conditional Plea Sentencing and Indigency: Bearden Limits Prison When a Defendant Cannot Meet a Presentencing Financial Condition Despite Best Efforts Case: State of Iowa v. Christopher Joseph...
Fictive Kin in Iowa CINA Cases Requires a Pre-Removal Family Connection (Post-Removal Caregiving Alone Is Insufficient) I. Introduction Case: In re the Interest of L.P., minor child (Iowa Supreme...
Section 642.21(1) Limits Only “Employees’” Earnings—Not Independent Contractors (Overruling Marian Health Ctr. v. Cooks) I. Introduction In Green Belt Bank & Trust v. Stephanie Marie Van Mill, Mashon...
Iowa Code § 147.139 Requires a Categorical Match of Board-Certified Specialties; “Field” Means Licensure Category Introduction In Linda Jones v. Larry Lindell, Broadlawns Medical Center Foundation...
PCR Summary Disposition Requires Service of the Motion and an Opportunity to Resist (Iowa Code § 822.6) Introduction In Cody Lee Smith v. State of Iowa (Iowa Feb. 27, 2026), the Iowa Supreme Court...