Structure and People
District
Courts
Judges
Let's begin where most court cases begin—with the district courts. The district court, which is also known as
the trial court, is the point of entry in the court system for most cases. The
Iowa District Court has general jurisdiction of all civil, criminal, juvenile,
and probate matters in the state. The Iowa
district court is composed of different kinds of judicial officers with varying
amounts of jurisdiction: judicial
magistrates, associate juvenile judges, associate probate judges, district
associate judges, and district court judges.
Judicial
magistrates
serve primarily within the county of residence, but they may hear cases in
other counties upon order of the chief judge of the district. Magistrates serve four-year terms and are
appointed by county magistrate appointing commissions. Although magistrates are not required by law
to be attorneys, most magistrates are attorneys. Magistrates have jurisdiction over simple
misdemeanors, including scheduled violations, county and municipal infractions,
and small claims. Magistrates have authority to issue search warrants, conduct preliminary
hearings, and hear certain involuntary hospitalization matters.
The
jurisdiction of associate juvenile judges is limited to juvenile court
matters. They have authority to issue orders, findings, and decisions in
juvenile cases, including cases that involve juvenile delinquency, child in
need of assistance, and termination of parental rights. Associate
juvenile judges also have authority to preside over adoptions. Associate juvenile judges serve six-year
terms. They are appointed by the
district judges of the judicial district from a slate of nominees screened and
selected by the county magistrate appointing commission.
Associate
probate judges
have jurisdiction limited to probate cases.
They have authority to audit accounts and perform judicial duties in
probate as prescribed by the chief judge. Associate probate judges serve
six-year terms. They are appointed by
the district judges of the judicial district from a slate of nominees screened
and selected by the county magistrate appointing commission.
District associate judges have the
jurisdiction of judicial magistrates plus authority to hear serious and
aggravated misdemeanor cases, civil suits in which the amount in controversy is
$10,000 or less, and juvenile cases when the judge is sitting as a juvenile judge. District associate judges are appointed by
the district judges of the judicial district from a slate of nominees screened
and selected by the county magistrate appointing commission. Their term is six years.
District
judges
have the authority to hear any type of case within the district court. District
court judges typically hear a variety of cases including probate, felony
criminal cases, dissolution of marriage, adoptions, disputes involving actions
of state administrative agencies, juvenile cases and other matters. Many district judges travel extensively to
make sure all of Iowa's
counties have a regular schedule of judicial service. District judges are appointed by the governor
from a slate of nominees chosen by the judicial election district nominating
commission. Their term of office is six
years.
District Court Support Personnel
All judges
serve the public by using their legal skills and knowledge to impartially
interpret and apply the laws. Their role
is crucial, but their ability to perform this role effectively in today's
complicated and litigious society requires the support of a professional
staff.
In
each of Iowa's
99 counties, a clerk of district court office manages and maintains all
trial court records filed in the county. Clerks of court have hundreds of administrative
duties some of which include:
·
Accepting
and processing fines, fees and court costs owed to the state, child support
checks, and civil judgments owed to litigants
·
Maintaining
a record of liens on real estate
·
Disposing
of scheduled violations that are not contested and do not require a court
hearing
·
Notifying
state and local government agencies, including law enforcement agencies, of
court orders
Court
attendants
have a variety of duties, such as overseeing the activities of jurors,
facilitating courtroom proceedings, and helping judges with clerical work.
Court
reporters
serve an important court function. Court reporters record everything that is
said in the courtroom. Their transcription, which is a precise and accurate
account of the court proceedings, becomes part of the official court
record.
Juvenile
court officers
work directly with young people who are accused of committing a delinquent act.
The function of a juvenile court officer
is somewhat analogous to a probation officer for adult offenders. Juvenile court officers and their staff keep
track of children who are under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. They check
on a young person's progress with treatment and restitution. Juvenile court officers also administer
"informal adjustment programs" for youths who are not formally
charged with delinquency but who still require some form of supervision to
ensure accountability.
Iowa's Appellate
Courts
Justices and Judges
As the name suggests,
appellate courts handle appeals—-requests from litigants for a trial court
decision to be heard by a higher court. There are two appellate courts in Iowa's judicial
system—the Iowa Supreme Court and the Iowa Court of Appeals.
Seven justices sit on
the supreme court and nine judges form the court of appeals. All appellate judges are appointed by the
governor from a slate of nominees selected by the state judicial nominating
commission. Supreme court justices serve
eight-year terms. Appellate court judges
serve six-year terms.
All appeals are to
the Iowa Supreme Court. However, the supreme court may transfer a case to the
Iowa Court of Appeals for consideration.
In addition
to deciding cases, the Iowa Supreme Court is responsible for licensing and disciplining
attorneys, promulgating rules of procedure and practice used throughout the
state courts, and overseeing the operation of the entire state court system.
Appellate Court Support Personnel
The Iowa Supreme
Court and the Iowa Court of Appeals are assisted by the Clerk of the Supreme
Court. The clerk is responsible for maintaining the records in all
appeals.
Each
court of appeals judge and supreme court justice has clerical support as well as a law clerk to assist with legal
research. Staff lawyers also assist the court of appeals with its case
work. In addition, screening
attorneys help the supreme court sift through the appeals and dispose of
hundreds of motions that are filed by litigants.
Senior Judges
Retired judges can
apply to the Iowa Supreme Court for assignment as a senior judge in the
district or appellate courts. A senior
judge receives an enhanced retirement benefit and annual stipend in exchange
for working at least thirteen weeks a year.
Senior judges assist at every level of the court system. Their service helps the judicial branch keep
up with its high volume of cases.
Iowa
Judicial Branch Administrative Structure
Iowa is one of a handful
of states that has a unified court system that is mostly state funded. As the head of the state court system, the
Iowa Supreme Court oversees a statewide operating budget of approximately $150
million and is ultimately responsible for about 1,750 employees and judges.
The State Court Administrator assists the court with this enormous
responsibility. The State Court Administrator's duties include gathering
statistical data for the Iowa Judicial Branch, arranging training and education
programs for judges and staff, overseeing all aspects of the day-to-day operation
of the state's court system.
For purposes
of administration, Iowa
is divided into eight judicial districts. The districts, which vary in
population and in size, are determined by the legislature. Each district is
headed by a chief judge who is selected by the Iowa Supreme Court. The chief judge is responsible for
overseeing all district operations and personnel.
Each chief
judge is assisted by a district court administrator. District court
administrators handle the day-to-day responsibilities of managing the financial
and personnel matters of the district, as well as case scheduling.
The Judicial
Council advises the supreme court with respect to the supervision and administration
of the judicial branch. The council consists of the chief judges of the
districts, the chief judge of the court of appeals and the chief justice of the
supreme court.
Finally, dozens
of committees assist with the administration of justice in Iowa.
The courts depend on these committees to regularly advise them on a
broad scope of topics, including rules of procedure, technology, planning,
child support guidelines, and most aspects of attorney regulation. Committees are composed not only of judges,
lawyers, and court staff, but also of Iowans from many walks of life, who bring
a valuable perspective to the administration of justice.