Iowa Supreme Court

Iowa Supreme Court Rules on Minor Child Placement with Respite Providers

The Iowa Supreme Court affirmed a lower court's decision to place a minor child with respite care providers identified as fictive kin, rather than with relatives. The court also upheld the respite providers' intervention in the proceedings. This ruling clarifies placement decisions in child-in-need-of-assistance cases.

Iowa Supreme Court Opinion on Fictive Kin Placement

The Iowa Supreme Court vacated a lower court decision regarding the placement of a minor child with fictive kin. The court ruled that the fictive-kin relationship must predate the child's removal from parental custody, reversing a prior judgment that allowed placement with respite caregivers who did not meet this criterion.

State of Iowa v. Christopher Joseph Hidlebaugh - Sentence Vacated

The Iowa Supreme Court vacated the sentence of Christopher Joseph Hidlebaugh, remanding the case for resentencing. The court found that the defendant's imprisonment, resulting from his inability to meet a financial obligation in a plea agreement despite good faith efforts, rendered his sentence unconstitutional.

State of Iowa v. Christopher Joseph Hidlebaugh - Sex Offender Registry Violation

The Iowa Supreme Court denied further review in the case of State of Iowa v. Christopher Joseph Hidlebaugh, concerning a sex offender registry violation. The appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeals for lack of jurisdiction.

Green Belt Bank & Trust v. Van Mill - Garnishment Order Limit Appeal

The Iowa Supreme Court has published its opinion in the case of Green Belt Bank & Trust v. Stephanie Marie Van Mill et al. The appeal concerned the application of Iowa Code section 642.21(1)(e) to limit the amount a judgment creditor could recover through garnishment. The court affirmed the lower court's decision.

Iowa Supreme Court Opinion on Garnishment of Independent Contractor Funds

The Iowa Supreme Court ruled that Iowa Code section 642.21(1), which limits garnishment of an 'employee's' earnings, does not apply to funds owed to independent contractors. The court affirmed in part and reversed in part a lower court decision regarding the garnishment of funds owed to Mashon Van Mill.

Jones v. Lindell - Medical Malpractice Expert Witness Qualification

The Iowa Supreme Court affirmed a lower court's decision to strike a plaintiff's expert witness in a medical malpractice case. The court found the expert, a urologist, was not qualified to testify on the standard of care for an obstetrician-gynecologist under Iowa Code section 147.139. This ruling impacts how expert witnesses are qualified in medical malpractice suits in Iowa.

Medical malpractice appeal over expert witness qualification

Medical malpractice appeal over expert witness qualification

Northwest Bank & Trust Company v. Pershing Hill Lofts, LLC - Contract Claim

The Iowa Supreme Court affirmed a district court judgment in favor of a developer (Pershing Hill Lofts, LLC) against a bank (Northwest Bank & Trust Company) on a breach of contract claim. The court vacated a prior court of appeals decision and affirmed the district court's summary judgment ruling, finding the financing proposal was either an unenforceable agreement to agree or had terminated.

State of Iowa v. Rodney Dee Brown - Criminal Conviction Affirmance

The Iowa Supreme Court affirmed the conviction of Rodney Dee Brown for attempting to entice a minor. The court found sufficient evidence and upheld the jury instructions, affirming the decisions of the lower courts. This ruling addresses challenges to the conviction based on jury instructions and evidence sufficiency.