Governor Branstad now has the names of the nominees for the three openings on the Iowa Supreme Court.
On Monday the 15 member State Judicial Nominating Commission began interviewing the 60 people who applied to be justices on the Iowa Supreme Court. The last interview concluded midday today and just after 6:30 tonight the commission announced it had a slate of nine candidates to submit to Governor Branstad.
The youngest of the nine nominees for the state’s highest court is a 37-year-old University of Iowa law professor. Four district court judges and a judge who sits on the Iowa Court of Appeals were nominated. The three other nominees are Iowa attorneys working in private practice.
(Below is a list of the nominees,with links to their resumes.)
Branstad has 30 days to make three selections from that list of nine names. Unlike the federal system where the president nominates whomever he wishes and the U.S. Senate confirms the nominee, Iowa governors must choose from the list submitted by the Nominating Commission, and the legislative branch of state government has no role in confirming the choice.
The nominees:
Robert James Blink, West Des Moines, Age 60
District Judge (appointed 1995)—Fifth Judicial District
J.D., 1975, 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
John C. Gray, Sioux City, Age 56
Attorney—Heidman Law Firm
J.D., 1981, University of Iowa
Steven Verne Lawyer, New Virginia, Age 45
Attorney—Law Firm of Steven V. Lawyer & Associates, PLC
J.D., 1991, Drake University
Edward M. Mansfield, Des Moines, Age 53
Iowa Court of Appeals Judge (appointed 2009)
J.D., 1982, Yale
Michael R. Mullins, Washington, Age 58
District Judge (appointed 2002)—Eighth Judicial District
J.D., 1982, Drake University
Angela Onwuachi-Willig, Grinnell, Age 37
Professor of Law, University of Iowa
J.D., 1997, University of Michigan
Thomas Dana Waterman, Pleasant Valley, Age 51
Attorney—Lane & Waterman L.L.P.
J.D., 1984, University of Iowa
Bruce B. Zager, Waterloo, Age 58
District Judge (appointed 1999)—First Judicial District
J.D., 1980, Drake University