Sixty-One Iowans Apply for Iowa Supreme Court

Des Moines, January 11, 2011—Sixty-one Iowans have applied with the State Judicial Nominating Commission to fill the three vacancies on the Iowa Supreme Court that occurred when the terms of Chief Justice Marsha Ternus, Justice Michael Streit and Justice David Baker ended on December 31, 2010.

The nominating commission will begin meeting the morning of January 24th in the Iowa Supreme Court Courtroom on the fourth floor of the Judicial Branch Building to interview the applicants. The public is invited to observe the interviews in the courtroom. The interviews will also be available for viewing over the Internet for those unable to observe in person. It is anticipated the interviews will take several days to complete.

Immediately following the interviews, the commission will begin deliberations to select a consolidated slate of nine nominees from the group of applicants. Once the commission selects its slate of nominees, the commission will forward those names to the governor. The governor will then have thirty (30) days in which to appoint three new justices.

A summary resume for each candidate is posted on the Judicial Branch website at:

www.iowacourts.gov/State_Judicial_Nominating_Commission/Application_Information/

Additional materials submitted by each candidate will also be posted by January 18th.

The commission welcomes written comments from the public about the qualifications of any of the applicants. Comments must be submitted to the State Court Administrator, who serves as the commission secretary, by the conclusion of all of the interviews. A schedule of the interview times will be posted on the Judicial Branch website as soon as it is available. Comments may be e-mailed to SupCtNom@iowacourts.gov. Comments may also be mailed to the State Court Administrator,

Iowa Judicial Branch Building, 1111 E. Court Ave. , Des Moines, Iowa 50319.

The 15-member commission is composed of a chair, who is the senior justice of the supreme court other than the chief justice, seven lawyer commissioners elected by lawyers licensed to practice law in Iowa and seven non-lawyer commissioners appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Iowa Senate. With the exception of the commission chair, membership on the commission is limited to one six-year term. Terms are staggered. The Iowa Constitution requires that commission members be chosen without regard to political affiliation.

The applicants for the court are:

Craig Charles Ament, Cedar Falls, Age 55
Attorney—Ament Law Firm
J.D., 1980, University of Iowa

Richard Thomas Anderson, Clarinda, Age 54
Attorney—Millhone & Anderson, P.C.
J.D., 1987, Drake University

Samuel Cief Anderson, Waterloo, Age 51
Attorney—Swisher & Cohrt, P. L. C.
J.D., 1984, Drake University

Joseph Matthew Barron, Des Moines, Age 47
Attorney—Peddicord, Wharton, Spencer, Hook, Barron & Wegman, LLP
J.D., 1988, University of Iowa

John William Bernau, Manchester, Age 48
Delaware County Attorney
J.D., 1990, University of Iowa

Richard G. Blane, II, West Des Moines, Age 61
District Judge (appointed 1995)—Fifth Judicial District
J.D., 1973, Drake University

Robert James Blink, West Des Moines, Age 60
District Judge (appointed 1995)—Fifth Judicial District
J.D., 1975, Drake University

Ted Ernst Breckenfelder, Bettendorf, Age 49
Attorney—Breckenfelder Law Firm
J.D., 1986, Drake University

James David Bruhn, Clinton, Age 55
Attorney—Farwell & Bruhn
J.D., 1980, University of Iowa

Inga Bumbary-Langston, Des Moines, Age 54
Assistant General Counsel—U.S. Department of Agriculture Civil Rights Litigation Division
J.D., 1981, University of Virginia

Nathan Alden Callahan, Cedar Falls, Age 58
District Associate Judge (appointed 2000)—First District
J.D., 1984, Northwestern School of Law at Lewis and Clark College

Mark Dana Cleve, Davenport, Age 55
District Judge (appointed 1998)—Seventh Judicial District
J.D., 1981, University of Iowa

James N. Daane, Sioux City, Age 50
Attorney— Buckmeier & Daane Lawyers, P.C.,
J.D., 1985, University of South Dakota

George F. Davison, Jr., Des Moines, Age 60
Attorney—Davison Law
J.D., 1979, Drake University

Diane Linda Dornburg, Urbandale, Age 59
Attorney—Carney and Appleby, PLC
J.D., 1976, University of Michigan

Thomas James Duff, Des Moines, Age 47
Attorney—Duff Law Firm, P.L.C.
J.D., 1988, Drake University

Matt M. Dummermuth, Robins, Age 37
Most recently United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
J.D., 1999, Harvard

Timothy J. Finn, Ames, Age 62
District Judge (appointed 1987)—Second Judicial District
J.D., 1974, University of Iowa

Jerry Ray Foxhoven, Clive, Age 58
Executive Director, Drake Legal Clinic and Director of the Middleton Center for Children’s Rights
J.D., 1977, Drake University

Arthur E. Gamble, Clive, Age 58
District Judge (appointed 1983), Chief Judge (appointed 1995)—Fifth Judicial District
J.D., 1978, University of Iowa

Patrick R. Grady, Cedar Rapids, Age 56
District Judge (appointed 1995), Chief Judge (appointed 2009)—Sixth Judicial District
J.D., 1979, University of Iowa

John C. Gray, Sioux City, Age 56
Attorney—Heidman Law Firm
J.D., 1981, University of Iowa

Joel T. S. Greer, Marshalltown, Age 57
Attorney—Cartwright, Druker & Ryden
J.D., 1978, University of Iowa

David James Hanson, Fayette, Age 49
Attorney—Hoffmeyer & Hanson PC
J.D., 1987, Drake University

Peter Christopher Hart, Emmetsburg, Age 58
Palo Alto County Attorney
J.D., 1979, DePaul University

Andrew B. Howie, West Des Moines, Age 39
Attorney—Hudson, Mallaney & Shindler, P.C.
J.D., 1996, University of Iowa

Michael Ray Keller, Des Moines, Age 50
Attorney—Schott Mauss & Associates, P,C
J.D., 1987, University of Virginia

Bruce Kempkes, Earlham, Age 55
Assistant Attorney General
J.D., 1980, University of Iowa

Gary William Kendell, Des Moines, Age 39
Director—Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy
J.D., 1996, Drake University

Lawrence Donald Kudej, Swisher, Age 61
Assistant United States Attorney
J.D., 1974, University of Iowa

Justin E. LaVan, Earlham, Age 38
Attorney – Beving, Swanson & Forrest, P.C.
J.D., 1998, Drake University

Steven Verne Lawyer, New Virginia, Age 45
Attorney—Law Firm of Steven V. Lawyer & Associates, PLC
J.D., 1991, Drake University

David L. Leitner, Johnston, Age 54
Attorney—Leitner Law Office
J.D., 1979, University of Iowa

Edward M. Mansfield, Des Moines, Age 53
Iowa Court of Appeals Judge (appointed 2009)
J.D., 1982, Yale

Stephen Douglas Marso, Ankeny, Age 37
Attorney—Whitfield & Eddy, P.L.C.,
J.D., 1999, University of Iowa

Don Richard McGuire Jr., Algona, Age 52
General Counsel—Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company
J.D., 1993, University of Indiana

Gary D. McKenrick, Low Moor, Age 54
District Judge (appointed 1999)—Seventh Judicial District
J.D., 1982, University of Iowa

James Paul Moriarty, Cedar Rapids, Age, 55
Attorney—James P. Moriarty, PC
J.D., 1982, Suffolk University

Marlon Mormann, Des Moines, Age 54
Administrative Law Judge—Unemployment Insurance Appeals Bureau
J.D., 1983, University of Nebraska

Michael R. Mullins, Washington, Age 58
District Judge (appointed 2002)—Eighth Judicial District
J.D., 1982, Drake University

Marti D. Nerenstone, Council Bluffs, Age 55
Attorney—Nerenstone Law Office
J.D., 1982, University of Iowa

L. Craig Nierman, Coralville, Age 43
Attorney—Nierman Law, P.L.C.
J.D., 1999, University of Iowa

Matthew Louis Noel, Dubuque, Age 34
Attorney—Blair & Fitzsimmons P.C.
J.D., 2008, John Marshall Law School

Angela Onwuachi-Willig, Grinnell, Age 37
Professor of Law, University of Iowa
J.D., 1997, University of Michigan

Suellen Overton, Council Bluffs, Age 48
Attorney—Overton Law Office
D.J., 1990, Drake University

Rebecca Saffin Parrish-Sams, Cumming, Age 39
Attorney—Soldat & Parrish-Sams, PLC
J.D., 1998, University of Iowa

Iris J. Post, Des Moines, Age 54
Attorney—Bradshaw, Fowler, Proctor & Fairgrave, P.C.,
J.D., 1980, University of Iowa

Elisabeth S. Reynoldson, Osceola, Age 43
Assistant Attorney General
J.D., 1992, University of Iowa

Allan Max Richards, Tama, Age 56
Attorney—Richards Law Firm
J. D., 1989, Whittier College
Master of Laws, 1991, University of Arkansas

Annette Jennings Scieszinski, Albia, Age 55
District Judge (appointed 1996)—Eighth Judicial District
J.D., 1980, University of Iowa

James D. Scott, Rock Valley, Age 58
District Judge (appointed 1994)—Third Judicial District
J.D., 1976, University of South Dakota

William B. Serangeli, West Des Moines, Age 61
Attorney—Schneider, Stiles, Serangeli & Mountsier, P.C.,
J.D., 1975, Drake University

Douglas Frank Staskal, West Des Moines, Age 56
District Judge (appointed 2001)—Fifth Judicial District
J.D., 1979, University of Iowa

William Tully Talbot, Ames, Age 59
Attorney—Newbrough Law Firm LLP
J.D., 1989, Drake University

Frank Cal Tenuta, Sioux City, Age 51
Managing Attorney, Iowa Legal Aid
J.D., 1985, University of Minnesota

Richard R. Vander Mey, Traer, Age 61
Attorney and Magistrate
J.D., 1974, University of Minnesota

Jeanie Kunkle Vaudt, West Des Moines, Age 56
Assistant Attorney General
J.D., 1991, Drake University

Thomas Dana Waterman, Pleasant Valley, Age 51
Attorney—Lane & Waterman L.L.P.
J.D., 1984, University of Iowa

Matthew George Whitaker, Urbandale, Age 41
Attorney—Whitaker, Hagenow et al
J.D., 1995, University of Iowa

ConGarry D. Williams, West Des Moines, Age 44
Assistant Public Defender
J.D., 2000, Drake University

Bruce B. Zager, Waterloo, Age 58
District Judge (appointed 1999)—First Judicial District
J.D., 1980, Drake University