The Iowa Supreme Court will kick off its 2025-26 term with oral arguments in nine cases scheduled for Sept. 9 and 10. Four cases will be submitted to the Court without oral argument. Following are brief summaries of these cases. [Go to On Brief’s “Cases in the Pipeline” page to read documents filed
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U.S. Supreme Court asked to overturn Iowa Supreme Court drug-sniffing dog decision
By Rox Laird
An Iowa woman seeking to overturn her drug possession conviction has filed a petition for certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that a police search of her vehicle based on a drug-detection dog’s sniff through an open window violated her Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.
Ashlee Mumford was convicted in Madison…
A statistical review of the 2024-2025 Iowa Supreme Court term: Continued unpredictability in close cases
[This article by Matthew A. McGuire, Spencer S. Cady, and Charmaine Rusk was originally published in the August 2025 issue of The Iowa Lawyer magazine.]
The 2024-2025 term was the third term to feature the set of seven justices currently serving on the court. Our review of various statistical measurements shows certain reliable patterns of data…
Iowa Supreme Court addresses standards for achieving service of process upon parties without a permanent residence
In Lucas v. Warhol, the Iowa Supreme Court examined service of process in a matter involving a defendant who might not have been able to get mail due to experiencing homelessness. In a unanimous opinion written by Justice May, the Court held the district court properly denied the motion to dismiss the case and…
Analyzing pre-answer dismissal of claims following alleged student assault, Iowa Supreme Court affirms in part and reverses in part
In Doe v. Western Dubuque Community School District, parents and their child brought claims for loss of consortium, negligence, and breach of fiduciary duty against staff members and officials for their child’s school district, as well as the district itself. The lawsuit arose after a student harmed their child while at school. In a…
Iowa Court of Appeals interprets court discretion as to criminal sentencing statute
In State v. Cullum, the Iowa Court of Appeals, sitting en banc, reviewed a district court’s decisions to deny a motion to suppress, to deny a motion for a new trial, and to not suspend fines in an appeal sought by a criminal defendant. Judge Greer wrote the majority opinion in which the Iowa…
Iowa Court of Appeals July 2025 Published Opinion Roundup
By Rox Laird
The Iowa Court of Appeals selects certain opinions for publication in the Northwestern Reporter. In July, the Court of Appeals selected three opinions for publication. Following are summaries of those opinions.
In Re the Marriage of Zhenzhen Wang and Shengyi Ye, No. 24 -0420
Opinion date: March 5, 2025
On appeal from Polk County…
February 2025 Opinion Roundup
By Emma Sillman
The Iowa Supreme Court entered opinions in ten cases in February 2025. At the links immediately below, you can read Rox Laird’s analysis of the following opinions:
Allen Diercks v. Scott County, et al., concerning the applicability of the Iowa Open Records Act;
Marleny Rivas v. Derek Brownell, concerning the Supreme Court’s ability…
Iowa Supreme Court determines second-offense enhancements made criminal sentence illegal for a defendant without a prior conviction under the relevant statute
In State v. Gale, the Iowa Supreme Court reviewed a woman’s second-offense sentences for marijuana and controlled-substance possession when it was actually the first time she had been convicted of these offenses. In this opinion written by Justice McDermott, a unanimous Iowa Supreme Court remanded the matter so the defendant could be resentenced. The…
January 2025 Opinion Roundup
By Emma Sillman
The Iowa Supreme Court entered opinions in eleven cases in January 2025. At the links immediately below, you can read Rox Laird’s analysis of the following opinions:
Lance Allen Degeneffe v. Home Pride Contractors, Inc. , concerning whether a contractor who granted a 30-day grace period with a 1.5% interest for tardy payment was subject…