Iowa Case Commentaries

Greater Right to Possession of Seized Funds under Iowa Code §809.5: Bitcoin Depot v. Carlson

Date: May 17, 2025

Greater Right to Possession of Seized Funds under Iowa Code §809.5: Bitcoin Depot v. Carlson Introduction In In the Matter of Property Seized for Forfeiture from Bitcoin Depot Operating, LLC v....

Reaffirmation of Attorney Diligence Obligations: Public Reprimand for Repeated Missed Appellate Deadlines

Date: May 17, 2025

Reaffirmation of Attorney Diligence Obligations: Public Reprimand for Repeated Missed Appellate Deadlines Introduction In Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board v. Karmen R. Anderson, No....

In-Person Notification Requirement as an Essential Element of Sex Offender Registration Violations

Date: May 17, 2025

In-Person Notification Requirement as an Essential Element of Sex Offender Registration Violations Introduction State of Iowa v. Ronald Eugene Cooley (No. 23-1375, Iowa Supreme Court, May 16, 2025)...

Extension of the Fair-Report Privilege to Government Bodies for Publishing Public Meeting Records

Date: May 17, 2025

Extension of the Fair-Report Privilege to Government Bodies for Publishing Public Meeting Records 1. Introduction This commentary examines the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision in Amie Villarini v. Iowa...

Broad Enforcement of Iowa’s Credit Agreement Statute of Frauds: Bar to Tort Claims Arising from Unwritten Agreements

Date: May 10, 2025

Broad Enforcement of Iowa’s Credit Agreement Statute of Frauds: Bar to Tort Claims Arising from Unwritten Agreements Introduction County Bank v. Shalla (Iowa 2025) centers on a dispute arising from...

Qualified Immunity Under Iowa Code §670.4A Limits and Pseudonymous Pleading Standards

Date: May 10, 2025

Qualified Immunity Under Iowa Code §670.4A Limits and Pseudonymous Pleading Standards Introduction This commentary analyzes the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision in Parent Father Doe and Parent Mother...

LULAC v. Pate: Clarifying Organizational Standing—Resource Diversion Does Not Constitute Legally Cognizable Injury

Date: May 10, 2025

LULAC v. Pate: Clarifying Organizational Standing—Resource Diversion Does Not Constitute Legally Cognizable Injury Introduction League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa (LULAC) filed suit in...

Clarifying “Prohibited Practices” Under Iowa’s Consumer Fraud Act: Intent, Reliance, and Written-Contract Controls

Date: May 3, 2025

Clarifying “Prohibited Practices” Under Iowa’s Consumer Fraud Act: Intent, Reliance, and Written-Contract Controls Introduction The dispute in Bradshaw Renovations, LLC v. Barry Graham & Jacklynn...

Interest-of-Justice Jurisdiction for Conditional Guilty Pleas and the Continued Validity of the Automobile Exception

Date: May 3, 2025

Interest-of-Justice Jurisdiction for Conditional Guilty Pleas and the Continued Validity of the Automobile Exception Introduction The Supreme Court of Iowa’s decision in State of Iowa v. Amadeus...

Estate of Morgan v. Union Pacific: FELA Excludes Harassment-Induced Suicide Outside the Zone of Danger

Date: Apr 26, 2025

Estate of Morgan v. Union Pacific Railroad Co.: FELA Excludes Harassment-Induced Suicide Outside the Zone of Danger Introduction This case arises from the tragic death of Phillip Raymond Morgan, a...

Modification Authority Extended: Courts May Alter Non-Custodial Terms of Custody Decrees

Date: Apr 19, 2025

Modification Authority Extended: Courts May Alter Non-Custodial Terms of Custody Decrees Introduction In Katie Venechuk n/k/a Katie Vandewalker v. Gary A. Landherr, No. 23-0826 (Iowa Apr. 18, 2025),...

New Precedent: Judicial Officers’ Unwavering Impartiality and the Necessity of Removal for Bias and Prejudice

Date: Apr 19, 2025

New Precedent: Judicial Officers’ Unwavering Impartiality and the Necessity of Removal for Bias and Prejudice Introduction In In the Matter of Hon. David James Hanson, the Iowa Supreme Court...

Defective Workmanship Not an “Occurrence” or “Property Damage” Under CGL: Dostart v. Columbia Insurance Group

Date: Apr 19, 2025

Defective Workmanship Not an “Occurrence” or “Property Damage” Under CGL: Dostart v. Columbia Insurance Group Introduction In John Dostart and Deena Dostart v. Columbia Insurance Group, the Supreme...

Substantial Compliance in Employer Random Drug‐Testing Pools: Hampe v. Charles Gabus Motors

Date: Apr 12, 2025

Substantial Compliance in Employer Random Drug‐Testing Pools: Hampe v. Charles Gabus Motors Introduction This commentary examines the Iowa Supreme Court’s April 11, 2025 decision in Scott Hampe v....

Nonviability of Godfrey Constitutional Tort Claims: Supreme Court of Iowa Decision

Date: Apr 5, 2025

Nonviability of Godfrey Constitutional Tort Claims Introduction This commentary examines the Iowa Supreme Court’s per curiam decision in Wagner v. State of Iowa and William L. Spece, No. 22-1625,...

Zoning Appeals under § 335.18 Exempt from MTCA Pleading Rules and Clarified Standing Standards

Date: Apr 5, 2025

Zoning Appeals under § 335.18 Exempt from MTCA Pleading Rules and Clarified Standing Standards Introduction In 1000 Friends of Iowa et al. v. Polk County Board of Supervisors, No. 23-1199 (Iowa Apr....

Only the First Outcry Counts: Iowa Supreme Court Defines “Initial Disclosure” Under § 622.31B as the First Disclosure

Date: Mar 29, 2025

Only the First Outcry Counts: Iowa Supreme Court Defines “Initial Disclosure” Under § 622.31B as the First Disclosure Introduction In State of Iowa v. Allan Robert Sievers, No. 23-0413 (Iowa Mar. 28,...

Post-Remand Ambiguity as Good Cause: Iowa Supreme Court Requires Leniency on § 668.11 Expert Deadlines When Appeals Create Uncertainty

Date: Mar 22, 2025

Post-Remand Ambiguity as Good Cause: Iowa Supreme Court Requires Leniency on § 668.11 Expert Deadlines When Appeals Create Uncertainty Introduction In Jahn Patric Kirlin and Sara Louise Kirlin v. Dr....

Iowa Supreme Court Clarifies: “Any One Loss” in Business Income Coverage Is a Single, Aggregate Limit Across All Covered Locations When the Policy Selects an All-Locations Schedule

Date: Mar 22, 2025

Iowa Supreme Court Clarifies: “Any One Loss” in Business Income Coverage Is a Single, Aggregate Limit Across All Covered Locations When the Policy Selects an All-Locations Schedule Introduction In...

Establishing Rigorous Standards for Client Trust Account Management and Communication

Date: Mar 20, 2025

Establishing Rigorous Standards for Client Trust Account Management and Communication Introduction The Iowa Supreme Court’s recent decision in Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board,...