Iowa Judiciary Seeks Comment on Supreme Court Applicants

Iowans are encouraged to submit their comments about the 17 individuals who have applied to fill an upcoming vacancy on the Iowa Supreme Court.

The State Judicial Nominating Commission will meet on March 6 and 7 to interview applicants. Those who wish to provide written comments should do so by writing State Court Administrator David Boyd, who will serve as the commission’s secretary. Comments should be mailed to Iowa Judicial Branch Building, 1111 E. Court Ave., Des Moines, Iowa 50319 and should arrive by March 5.

Immediately following the interviews, the commission will select a slate of three nominees from the group of applicants. Those nominees will be presented to Gov. Chet Culver, who makes the final appointment to the court.

Applicants are:

• Connie Alt — Age 47 of Cedar Rapids; attorney with Shuttleworth & Ingersoll P.C.; 1985 University of Iowa
• David Baker — Age 55 of Cedar Rapids; Court of Appeals Judge (appointed 2006); 1979 University of Iowa
• Hugh J. Cain — Age 52 of Norwalk; attorney with Hopkins & Huebner, P.C.; 1982 University of Washington
• David Ray Danilson — Age 53 of Boone; Second Judicial District Judge (appointed 1997); 1979 Creighton University
• George F. Davison Jr. — Age 57 of Des Moines; attorney with Davidson Law; 1979 Drake University
• Arthur E. Gamble — Age 55 of Clive; Fifth Judicial District Chief Judge (appointed 1995; appointed District Judge in 1983); 1978 University of Iowa
• Michael R. Hoffmann — Age 60 of Clive; attorney with Hoffmann Law Firm, P.C.; 1972 Drake University; 1973 George Washington University
• Andrew B. Howie — Age 36 of West Des Moines; attorney with Hudson, Mallaney & Shindler, P.C.; 1996 University of Iowa
• Bruce Kempkes — Age 52 of Earlham; Assistant Attorney General; 1980 University of Iowa
• Mark O. Lambert — Age 47 of Polk City; Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals Administrative Law Judge; 1995 University of Iowa
• John Lloyd — Age 58 of Osceola; Fifth Judicial District Judge (appointed 2002); 1974 Drake University
• Michael L. Mock — Age 38 of West Des Moines; attorney with Bradshaw, Fowler & Fairgrave, P.C.; 1995 Drake University
• Michael R. Mullins — Age 55 of Washington; Eighth Judicial District Judge (appointed 2002); 1982 Drake University
• Timothy O’Grady — Age 52 of Council Bluffs; Fourth Judicial District Judge (appointed 1995); 1980 Creighton University
• Deborah Tharnish — Age 52 of Des Moines; attorney with Davis, Brown, Koehn, Shors & Roberts, P.C.; 1980 University of Iowa
• Jeanie Kunkle Vaudt — Age 54 of West Des Moines; Assistant Attorney General; 1991 Drake University
• Thomas Waterman — Age 48 of Pleasant Valley; attorney with Lane & Waterman L.L.P. of Davenport; 1984 University of Iowa

Elected members of the commission are Jean Dickson Feeney of Davenport, Steven J. Pace of Cedar Rapids, Mindi M. Vervaecke of Mason City, Beth Walker of Newton, Guy R. Cook of Des Moines, Joseph L. Fitzgibbons of Eastherville and John M. French of Council Bluffs. Members appointed to the commission are Madalin A. Williams of Iowa City, Mary Beth Lawler of Iowa Falls, David C. Cochran of Dubuque, Coleen A. Denefe of Ottumwa, Charles B. Follett of Clive, Arthur P. Silva of Sioux City and Timothy Mikkelsen of Grimes.

The vacancy will occur when Justice Jerry L. Larsen retires on May 17, due to the mandatory retirement age. Larson, who joined the court in 1978, is the longest serving justice in Iowa history.