Iowa Supreme Court facts for kids
The Iowa Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Iowa. This court has seven judges, who are called "justices." One of them is the Chief Justice, and the other six are Associate Justices. The Court usually meets in Des Moines at the Iowa Judicial Branch Building.
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Understanding the Iowa Supreme Court
Iowa became the 29th state to join the United States in 1846. Iowa's government works a lot like the national government of the United States. It has three main parts, called branches:
- The legislative branch: This branch makes the laws. In Iowa, it's called the Iowa General Assembly.
- The executive branch: This branch carries out the laws. In Iowa, it's led by the Governor of Iowa.
- The judicial branch: This branch interprets the laws. The Iowa Supreme Court is the head of this branch.
What the Supreme Court Does
The Iowa Supreme Court is an appellate court. This means it doesn't hold trials like you might see on TV. Instead, it reviews decisions made by other state courts in Iowa. The Court has several important jobs:
- It is the top court in Iowa's state court system. Its decisions must be followed by all other state courts in Iowa.
- It gives licenses to lawyers so they can practice law in Iowa. It also creates the rules that lawyers must follow. If a lawyer breaks these rules, the Court can warn them or even take away their license.
- It creates the rules for how all the state courts in Iowa should operate.
- It is in charge of the entire judicial branch, including judges and court staff.
About the Justices
The justices on the Iowa Supreme Court are chosen by the governor. The governor picks from a list of three people. This list is created by a group called the State Judicial Nominating Commission.
How Justices Serve
When a new justice is first chosen, they serve for one year. After that, there's an election to decide if they should continue. This is called a retention election. If they are approved in this election, they then serve an eight-year term. At the end of each term, there's another retention election. Justices must retire when they turn 72 years old. The justices themselves vote to choose who among them will be the Chief Justice.
