In the Balance: Recent Episodes

Iowa Judicial Branch

An Iowa Judicial Branch podcast dedicated to taking listeners beyond the courtroom doors to explore Iowa's rich judicial past, present, and future.

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This month on the In the Balance podcast, our guest is Judge Dustria Ann Relph. She is the Chair of the District 5B Judicial Nominating Commission. She shares her insights on the Judicial Nominating Commission membership, process, and its important role in selecting judges.

Judicial Nominating Commissions Website: https://www.iowajnc.gov/district-commissions

Website: www.iowacourts.gov
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iowacourts8702
X: https://twitter.com/IowaCourts

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Licensee: State of Iowa Judicial Branch IT
Registered Project Name: In the Balance Podcast
License Date: January 17th, 2024
Item License Code: AY7ZT3DRG8

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This month on the In the Balance podcast, our guest is District Associate Judge Richelle Mahaffey. She shares her insights on Adoption Day in her courtroom. Judge Mahaffey serves in Iowa’s 8th Judicial District and has presided over numerous adoption cases.

Website: www.iowacourts.gov
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iowacourts8702
X: https://twitter.com/IowaCourts

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Licensee: State of Iowa Judicial Branch IT
Registered Project Name: In the Balance Podcast
License Date: January 17th, 2024
Item License Code: AY7ZT3DRG8

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This month on In The Balance, our guest is Lora Socia, Classification and Compensation Analyst for the Iowa Judicial Branch. She shares her perspective on working for the Judicial Branch and the many reasons why people apply for open positions.

Host: Abhash Shrestha
Guests: Lora Socia

Website: www.iowacourts.gov
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iowacourts8702
X: https://twitter.com/IowaCourts

Music:
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Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/inspirational-strings-logo-XUG4BU3
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Licensee: State of Iowa Judicial Branch IT
Registered Project Name: In the Balance Podcast
License Date: January 17th, 2024
Item License Code: AY7ZT3DRG8

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This month on In The Balance, our guest is Justice David May of the Iowa Supreme Court. He shares his insights on the Separation of Powers. Justice May was appointed to the Court in 2022 and currently serves on the bench.

Host: Abhash Shrestha
Guests: Justice David May

Website: www.iowacourts.gov
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iowacourts8702
X: https://twitter.com/IowaCourts

Music:
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Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/inspirational-strings-logo-XUG4BU3
Item ID: XUG4BU3
Author Username: Oasis_Music
Licensee: State of Iowa Judicial Branch IT
Registered Project Name: In the Balance Podcast
License Date: January 17th, 2024
Item License Code: AY7ZT3DRG8

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This month on In The Balance, our guests are Tre Critelli and Tara Van Brederode, whose new booklet contains valuable insights into key considerations when working with lawyers from both the public’s and the lawyer’s perspectives.

Host: Abhash Shrestha
Guests: Tre Critelli, Executive Director of the Office of Professional Regulation, and
Tara Van Brederode, Director of Attorney Discipline for the Office of Professional Regulation.

Booklet: Choosing and Working with a Lawyer

Website: www.iowacourts.gov
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iowacourts8702
X: https://twitter.com/IowaCourts

Music:
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Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/inspirational-strings-logo-XUG4BU3
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Licensee: State of Iowa Judicial Branch IT
Registered Project Name: In the Balance Podcast
License Date: January 17th, 2024
Item License Code: AY7ZT3DRG8

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This month on In The Balance, Abhash discusses the Iowa Judicial Branch Building Tour. Since 2023, he has been managing and leading these tours. He explains what the tour entails and how to book one for your group

Host: Abhash Shrestha

Website: www.iowacourts.gov
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iowacourts8702
X: https://twitter.com/IowaCourts

Music:
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Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/inspirational-strings-logo-XUG4BU3
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Author Username: Oasis_Music
Licensee: State of Iowa Judicial Branch IT
Registered Project Name: In the Balance Podcast
License Date: January 17th, 2024
Item License Code: AY7ZT3DRG8

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This month on In The Balance, we welcome Alison Jepsen, Deputy Director of Judicial Education and Development. She discusses training for judicial officers, preparing them to excel as new judges.

Website: www.iowacourts.gov
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iowacourts8702
X: https://twitter.com/IowaCourts

Music:
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Licensee: State of Iowa Judicial Branch IT
Registered Project Name: In the Balance Podcast
License Date: January 17th, 2024
Item License Code: AY7ZT3DRG8

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This month on the In the Balance podcast, our guest is retired Iowa Supreme Court Justice Bruce Zager. He shares personal insights from his legal career and offers thoughtful suggestions for new attorneys.

Website: www.iowacourts.gov
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iowacourts8702
X: https://twitter.com/IowaCourts

Music:
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Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/inspirational-strings-logo-XUG4BU3
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Author Username: Oasis_Music
Licensee: State of Iowa Judicial Branch IT
Registered Project Name: In the Balance Podcast
License Date: January 17th, 2024
Item License Code: AY7ZT3DRG8

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This month, the In The Balance podcast hosts Iowa Court of Appeals Chief Judge Mary Tabor and Staff Attorney Cassie Bonefas. We talk all about the reasons for taking the court on the road and the responses they receive from the communities they visit.

Host: Abhash Shrestha
Guests: Chief Judge Mary Tabor and Cassie Bonefas

Website: www.iowacourts.gov
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iowacourts8702
X: https://twitter.com/IowaCourts

Music:
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Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/inspirational-strings-logo-XUG4BU3
Item ID: XUG4BU3
Author Username: Oasis_Music
Licensee: State of Iowa Judicial Branch IT
Registered Project Name: In the Balance Podcast
License Date: January 17th, 2024
Item License Code: AY7ZT3DRG8

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This month, the In The Balance podcast hosts Magistrates Beth Tiggis and A. Eric Neu. They serve Polk and Carroll counties respectively. We discuss the expectations and preparation required to represent yourself in courts.

Host: Abhash Shrestha
First guest: Magistrate Beth Tigges
Second guest: Magistrate A. Eric Neu

Website: www.iowacourts.gov
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iowacourts8702
X: https://twitter.com/IowaCourts

Music:
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Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/inspirational-strings-logo-XUG4BU3
Item ID: XUG4BU3
Author Username: Oasis_Music
Licensee: State of Iowa Judicial Branch IT
Registered Project Name: In the Balance Podcast
License Date: January 17th, 2024
Item License Code: AY7ZT3DRG8

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This month, In The Balance podcast hosts Judge Brent Pattison, Associate Judge for District 5C. He shares his perspective on the adoption process and its impact on the families involved.

Host: Abhash Shrestha
Guest: Judge Brent Pattison

Website: www.iowacourts.gov
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iowacourts8702
X: https://twitter.com/IowaCourts

Music:
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Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/inspirational-strings-logo-XUG4BU3
Item ID: XUG4BU3
Author Username: Oasis_Music
Licensee: State of Iowa Judicial Branch IT
Registered Project Name: In the Balance Podcast
License Date: January 17th, 2024
Item License Code: AY7ZT3DRG8

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This month, the In The Balance Podcast hosts Chris Kunej. Director of the Language Access Services Office for the Iowa Judicial Branch. We talked about the important role of interpreters in the Iowa court system and what makes their role an essential service.

Host: Abhash Shrestha
Guest: Chris Kunej

Website: www.iowacourts.gov
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iowacourts8702
X: https://twitter.com/IowaCourts

Music:
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Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/inspirational-strings-logo-XUG4BU3
Item ID: XUG4BU3
Author Username: Oasis_Music
Licensee: State of Iowa Judicial Branch IT
Registered Project Name: In the Balance Podcast
License Date: January 17th, 2024
Item License Code: AY7ZT3DRG8

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This month, the In The Balance Podcast hosts Leo Landis. He is the State Curator of the State Historical Society of Iowa as well as the Museum Curator of State Historical Museum of Iowa. We discuss the people and stories behind Iowa’s three constitutional conventions. You can find more information about the 1857 Iowa Constitutional Convention” here.

Host: Abhash Shrestha
Guest: Leo Landis

Website: www.iowacourts.gov
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iowacourts8702
X: https://twitter.com/IowaCourts

Music:
Item Title: Inspirational Strings Logo
Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/inspirational-strings-logo-XUG4BU3
Item ID: XUG4BU3
Author Username: Oasis_Music
Licensee: State of Iowa Judicial Branch IT
Registered Project Name: In the Balance Podcast
License Date: January 17th, 2024
Item License Code: AY7ZT3DRG8

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This month, In The Balance Podcast hosts Dr. Roxann Ryan. Dr. Ryan began practicing law in the Iowa Attorney General’s Criminal Appeals Division in 1980 and has been involved with numerous state agencies and legal associations. She is also an adjunct instructor at Drake Law School, Simpson College and University of Northern Iowa.

Host: Abhash Shrestha
Guest: Dr. Roxann Ryan

Download ISBA PowerPoint : Celebrating Trailblazing Women in the Law
https://www.iowabar.org/docDownload/2388278

Website: www.iowacourts.gov
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iowacourts8702
X: https://twitter.com/IowaCourts

Music:
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Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/inspirational-strings-logo-XUG4BU3
Item ID: XUG4BU3
Author Username: Oasis_Music
Licensee: State of Iowa Judicial Branch IT
Registered Project Name: In the Balance Podcast
License Date: January 17th, 2024
Item License Code: AY7ZT3DRG8

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This month, the In The Balance Podcast hosts Jessica Taylor, director of Boards and Commissions for the Office of Professional Regulation, which oversees a grant program that helps fund organizations that provide legal assistance to low-income Iowans with civil legal problems.

Host: Abhash Shrestha
Guest: Jessica Taylor

Website: www.iowacourts.gov
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iowacourts8702
X: https://twitter.com/IowaCourts

Music:
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Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/inspirational-strings-logo-XUG4BU3
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Author Username: Oasis_Music
Licensee: State of Iowa Judicial Branch IT
Registered Project Name: In the Balance Podcast
License Date: January 17th, 2024
Item License Code: AY7ZT3DRG8

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This month, I spoke with magistrate Christin Skilton, the magistrate in Chickasaw County. We discussed her role, her service and her motivation working for the Iowa Judicial Branch.

Host: Abhash Shrestha
Guest: Magistrate Christine Skilton

Website: www.iowacourts.gov
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iowacourts8702
X: https://twitter.com/IowaCourts

Music:
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Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/inspirational-strings-logo-XUG4BU3
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Author Username: Oasis_Music
Licensee: State of Iowa Judicial Branch IT
Registered Project Name: In the Balance Podcast
License Date: January 17th, 2024
Item License Code: AY7ZT3DRG8

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This month, I spoke with Savannah Hanning, the trial court supervisor in Linn County. We discussed her career and her experiences working in the Iowa Judicial Branch.

Host: Abhash Shrestha
Guest: Savannah Hanning

Website: www.iowacourts.gov
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iowacourts8702
X: https://twitter.com/IowaCourts

Music:
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Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/inspirational-strings-logo-XUG4BU3
Item ID: XUG4BU3
Author Username: Oasis_Music
Licensee: State of Iowa Judicial Branch IT
Registered Project Name: In the Balance Podcast
License Date: January 17th, 2024
Item License Code: AY7ZT3DRG8

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This month, I had a fascinating chat with Tim Eckley, who works as the assistant counsel for the Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court. We talked about the free Iowa court forms available on the Iowacourts.gov website, and how they are the essential tools for people in court without an attorney.

Host: Abhash Shrestha
Guest: Timothy Eckley

Court Forms: https://www.iowacourts.gov/for-the-public/court-forms/
Website: www.iowacourts.gov
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iowacourts8702
X: https://twitter.com/IowaCourts

Music:
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Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/inspirational-strings-logo-XUG4BU3
Item ID: XUG4BU3
Author Username: Oasis_Music
Licensee: State of Iowa Judicial Branch IT
Registered Project Name: In the Balance Podcast
License Date: January 17th, 2024
Item License Code: AY7ZT3DRG8

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This month I spoke with Iowa Supreme Courts senior law clerk Anna Stoeffler. We discussed her educational journey, her decision to go to law school, and what to expect when pursuing a law career.

Host: Abhash Shrestha
Guest: Anna Stoeffler, Senior Law Clerk to Chief Justice Christensen.

Website: www.iowacourts.gov
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iowacourts8702
X: https://twitter.com/IowaCourts

Music:
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Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/inspirational-strings-logo-XUG4BU3
Item ID: XUG4BU3
Author Username: Oasis_Music
Licensee: State of Iowa Judicial Branch IT
Registered Project Name: In the Balance Podcast
License Date: January 17th, 2024
Item License Code: AY7ZT3DRG8

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Welcome back.

In this episode of in the balance we focus on the benefits of the Iowa Business Court. I spoke to Iowa Supreme Court Justice Thomas Waterman and Business Court Judge David Nelmark to discuss how the business court moves complex commercial litigation cases through the court system more expeditiously, lowering costs for litigants and the court system.

Host: Abhash Shrestha
Guest: Thomas Waterman, Iowa Supreme Court Justice
Guest: David Nelmark, Business Court Judge

Website: www.iowacourts.gov
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iowacourts8702
X: https://twitter.com/IowaCourts

Music

Item Title: Inspirational Strings Logo

Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/inspirational-strings-logo-XUG4BU3

Item ID: XUG4BU3

Author Username: Oasis_Music

Licensee: State of Iowa Judicial Branch IT

Registered Project Name: In the Balance Podcast

License Date: January 17th, 2024

Item License Code: AY7ZT3DRG8

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A quick update: this will be my last month hosting the In the Balance podcast for the Iowa Judicial Branch. I will be turning the reins over to our new host and producer, Abhash, in January, so keep your eyes and ears out for those exciting new developments. For my last podcast interview, I wanted to introduce one of the newest members to the Iowa Judicial Branch, Megan Tooker, Counsel to the Chief Justice.

Host: Marissa Gaal
Guest: Megan Tooker, Counsel to the Chief Justice

Music from The Epic 2 by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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This month I am going to walk you through the evolution of the Iowa court system, taking us through the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.

Host: Marissa Gaal

Music from The Epic 2 by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Welcome back. This month I chatted with Tre Critelli, executive director of the office of professional regulation, about the functions and duties of his office’s work with Iowa’s attorneys and how that work protects Iowans who come into contact with the judicial system.

Host: Marissa Gaal
Guest: Tre Critelli, Executive Director of the The Office of Professional Regulation

Music from The Epic 2 by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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In honor of Constitution Day on September 14, In the Balance is releasing an early episode on the topic of Gideon v. Wainwright, a federal supreme court decision celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.

Host: Marissa Gaal
Guest: Chief Justice Susan Larson Christensen, Iowa Supreme Court

Music from The Epic 2 by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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This month I spoke with Richard Lyford, who has worked with the Iowa Judicial Branch over the past 20 years to collect and record personal oral histories from past Iowa supreme court justices and judges. To learn more about his work preserving Iowa’s judicial history, keep listening.

You can watch past Iowa justices and judges oral histories here.

Host: Marissa Gaal
Guest: Richard Lyford

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Welcome back. This month I spoke with Richard Gordon, Iowa’s statewide treatment courts coordinator, about his role in the many treatment courts in our state.

Host: Marissa Gaal
Guest: Richard Gordon, Iowa Statewide Coordinator for Treatment Courts

Music from The Epic 2 by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

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This month I sat down with Justice David May, the most recent appointment to the Iowa Supreme Court. To learn more about his journey to the bench, keep listening.

Host: Marissa Gaal
Guests: David May, Iowa Supreme Court Justice

Music from The Epic 2 by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2- License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

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May marked the 20th anniversary of the Iowa Judicial Branch building's opening. In honor of the anniversary, I sat down with Rebecca Colton and David Boyd, two past Iowa Judicial Branch employees who were a part of the building process from start to finish.

Host: Marissa Gaal
Guests: Rebecca Colton, retired Iowa Supreme Court Executive Assistant, and David Boyd, retired Iowa State Court Administrator

Music from The Epic 2 by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2- License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

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This month I connected with the Iowa Appellate Clerk of Court, Donna Humpal, to discuss what a day in her life looks like, as well as how her role and clerk’s office resembles and differs from the county clerks offices.

Host: Marissa Gaal
Guest: Donna Humpal, Iowa Appellate Clerk of Court

Music from The Epic 2 by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2- License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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In recognition of Women’s History Month, I went looking for women throughout Iowa’s history to cover for this episode. As it turns out, Iowa is not lacking for strong, influential women who have left their mark on the state’s judicial and legal systems. Last year we covered the life of Arabella Mansfield, the first white woman admitted to the Iowa State Bar in 1869. This year, I want to highlight the first black woman admitted to the Iowa State Bar, and one of the founding members of the National Bar Association: Gertrude E. Rush. 

Host: Marissa Gaal

Music from The Epic 2 by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2- License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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In recognition of Black History Month this February, I spoke with sculptor James Ellwanger, the artist behind the Shattering Silence sculpture which decorates the Iowa Judicial Branch Building's west lawn. This sculpture is a memorial to Iowa's progressive civil rights history and where it all began, with the case of Ralph Montgomery, a former Missouri slave granted his freedom in Iowa, in 1839. 

Host: Marissa Gaal
Guest: James Ellwanger

Music from The Epic 2  by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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This episode we are focusing on the important work of our county courthouses clerks of court. I spoke with Jackie Myers, the clerk of court for Des Moines and Henry Counties, as well as Donna Geery, the District 2 assistant court administrator, to learn more about the day-to-day duties of a county clerk of court, and how they work together in each of their judicial districts.

Host: Marissa Gaal
Guests: Jackie Myers and Donna Geery

Music from The Epic 2  by Rafael Krux
 Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
 License:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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This month we are highlighting an essential role in Iowa’s Judicial system: the court reporter. I spoke with Laura McFall, a court reporter out of District 8 and a past president of the Court Reporter’s Association, and Bob Gast, State Court Administrator, to discuss the duties of a court reporter and the integral role they play in the judicial system.

Host: Marissa Gaal
Guests: Laura McFall, court reporter, and Bob Gast, State Court Administrator

Music from The Epic 2  by Rafael Krux
 Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
 License:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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This month we are discussing electronic search warrants. In 2017, the Iowa Legislature amended Iowa Code Chapter 808 to allow the transmission for and issuance of search warrants by electronic means. In April 2018, the Iowa State Court Administrator established the Electronic Search Warrants Advisory Committee. Amidst the pandemic in April 2020, the electronic search warrant pilot project began in District 4, expanding to counties in districts 1, 2, and 6, before the pilot went statewide in September 2022.

Host: Marissa Gaal
Guests: Judge James Malloy, District 2, and Deputy Seth McCrea, Boone

Music from The Epic 2  by Rafael Krux
 Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
 License:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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This month I spoke with District 6 Judge Kevin McKeever about Iowa’s jury service. To learn more about the history of jury service, what the selection process looks like, and the rights upheld by jury service in our country, keep listening. 

Host: Marissa Gaal
Guest: Judge Kevin McKeever, District 6

Music from The Epic 2  by Rafael Krux
 Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
 License:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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This month, in recognition of the upcoming Constitution Day, celebrated on September 17 every year, I sat down with Justice Dana Oxley to discuss the difference between the Iowa Constitution and Federal Constitution. 

Host: Marissa Gaal
Guest: Iowa Supreme Court Justice Dana Oxley

Music from The Epic 2  by Rafael Krux
 Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
 License:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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This month I spoke with Juvenile Court Officer Chris Castrey about what a typical day might look life for a JCO in the 7th judicial district. To learn more about what the position of a juvenile court officer entails, keep listening.

Host: Marissa Gaal
Guest: Chris Castrey, Juvenile Court Officer

Music from The Epic 2  by Rafael Krux
 Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
 License:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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This month we are breaking down the Iowa Judicial Branch budget, which was approved earlier this month. I sat down with State Court Administrator Bob Gast to discuss the budget process, from proposal to approval, and how the money will support the judicial branch’s mission to administer justice under law equally to all persons. 

Host: Marissa Gaal
Guest: Bob Gast, State Court Administrator

Music from The Epic 2  by Rafael Krux
 Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
 License:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Welcome back to another episode of In the Balance, the Iowa Judicial Branch podcast. Today, we are going to walk through some important information and interesting features available on our website, iowacourts.gov.

Host: Marissa Gaal

Links

Latest News: https://www.iowacourts.gov/newsroom/news-releases/
News Releases: https://www.iowacourts.gov/announcements/
FAQs:https://www.iowacourts.gov/faq/
Interactive Court Forms: https://www.iowacourts.gov/for-the-public/representing-yourself/iowa-interactive-court-forms/
Iowa Courts: https://www.iowacourts.gov/iowa-courts/
Educational Resources: https://www.iowacourts.gov/for-the-public/educational-resources-and-services/
Contact Us: https://www.iowacourts.gov/for-the-public/contact-us/

Music from The Epic 2 by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
License:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Welcome back. This month I spoke with Judge Patrick McElyea about what a typical day might look like for a district court judge in the seventh judicial district. Learn about the types of cases a district court judge can hear, the differences between a bench trial and jury trial, and what fills a judge’s time when they aren’t on the bench.

Host: Marissa Gaal

Guest: Judge Patrick McElyea, District 7 District Court Judge

Music from The Epic 2  by Rafael Krux
 Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
 License:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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In this month’s episode, I am sitting down with District 4 Court Administrator Laura Kyndesen to talk about her experience as a clerk of court, a district court administrator, and how distributive workload processing between counties is not only streamlining work for judicial employees but improving court services for Iowans as well.

Host: Marissa Gaal

Guest: Laura Kyndesen, District 4 Court Administrator

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In recognition of Black History Month, this episode will be covering the first case heard by our state’s supreme court, back when Iowa was still a territory. Iowa has a long-standing history of upholding civil rights, often preceding federal civil rights laws by decades. Iowa’s first cast, In the Matter of Ralph, was also its first civil rights case.

Music from The Epic 2  by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
License:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Music From Inspiring Noir Piano Waltz by MusicLFiles
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/8785-inspiring-noir-piano-waltz
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

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Welcome back to another episode, and our first of 2022. On January 13th of this year, Chief Justice Susan Larson Christensen gave the Condition of the Judiciary to a joint audience of the Iowa Senate and House of Representatives from the Capitol building in Des Moines. To explore the topics covered in this year’s condition of the judiciary and 2021’s annual report, I sat down with Bob Gast, the judicial branch’s state court administrator, and District 1 Chief Judge Kellyann Lekar.

Host: Marissa Gaal
Guests: Bob Gast, State Court Administrator, and Chief Judge Kellyann Lekar

Music from The Epic 2 by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
License:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Budget Request: https://www.iowacourts.gov/static/media/cms/FY_23_Budget_Request_Overview_A6942C5F3C9D6.pdf

Budget Letter: https://www.iowacourts.gov/static/media/cms/Budget_Letter_112921_08A663070AA0E.pdf

2021 Annual Report: https://www.iowacourts.gov/static/media/cms/202122_Annual_Report_FINAL_A8214596B0B85.pdf

Text of the Speech: https://www.iowacourts.gov/static/media/cms/2022_SOJ__version_FINAL_WITH_COVER_038BA32658F09.pdf

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This month to honor Veterans Day, I sat down with Judge Tod Deck and Judge Jeffrey Poulson to discuss their work in the District 3 Veterans Specialty Court. To hear more about how this specialty court got its start and the important work it does, keep listening.

Host: Marissa Gaal
Guests: Judge Todd Deck and Judge Jeffrey Poulson, District 3

Music from The Epic 2  by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
License:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/