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You can see evaluations of 11 local judges up for retention before the election

You can see performance evaluations of all judges up for retention votes in Iowa ahead of the November 4 election.
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You can see performance evaluations of all judges up for retention votes in Iowa ahead of the November 4 election.

Judges are initially appointed by the governor in Iowa.

“Voters then decide every few years during the November general elections whether the judges should remain in office,” according to a report from the Iowa State Bar Association. 

The association surveys attorneys, who have appeared before those judges, to offer performance review information to voters ahead of the elections.  It’s part of Iowa’s Merit Selection system which has been in place since 1962.  The system was put into place to help curb the influence of political parties and special interest groups in the selection of judges in Iowa, to ensure fair and impartial courts in the state.

Attorneys rate judges by answering a series of questions evaluating their professional competence and demeanor.

In the November 4, 2014 election, a total of 70 judges are up for possible retention across Iowa.  Eleven of those judges are in districts 7 and 8B, in the WQAD News 8 viewing area.

They include District 7 judges Joel William Barrows, Marlita A Greve, Mary E. Howes, Henry William Latham II, Mark R. Lawson, Mark R. Fowler, Christin Dalton Ploof and Cheryl Traum.

In District 8B, judges up for retention include Mary Ann Brown, John G. Linn, Michael J. Schilling and Emily S. Dean.

To see the full ISBA report for all 70 judges in Iowa, click here.

 

 

 

 

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