Verdict . News

5d ago•4 min read

•Iowa Supreme Court unanimously reversed Uranga's sex offender registry violation conviction due to insufficient evidence

Iowa Supreme Court Reverses Sex Offender Registry Conviction

The Iowa Supreme Court unanimously reversed Joshua Kelly Uranga's conviction for failing to register temporary lodging, ruling the state failed to prove he stayed away from his residence for more than five days as required by law.

•State failed to prove defendant stayed away from residence for required five-day minimum under section 692A.105

1w ago•4 min read

•Iowa Supreme Court unanimously reversed dismissal of pro se wrongful death case

Iowa Supreme Court Reverses Dismissal of Pro Se Medical Malpractice Case

The Iowa Supreme Court unanimously reversed a lower court's dismissal of a wrongful death medical malpractice lawsuit filed by Preston H. Tornell, who represented himself after his wife Kara died following emergency treatment at MercyOne West Des Moines Medical Center.

•Preston Tornell sued multiple healthcare defendants after wife's death at MercyOne hospital

1w ago•4 min read

•Iowa Supreme Court unanimously reversed $2.84 million jury verdict in workplace death case

Iowa Supreme Court Reverses $2.84M Workplace Death Verdict

The Iowa Supreme Court unanimously reversed a $2.84 million jury verdict awarded to the family of Michael Griffith, who died after falling through an open catwalk gate into machinery at Wendling Quarries. The court held that co-employee gross negligence claims failed as a matter of law due to insufficient evidence.

•Court found insufficient evidence of actual knowledge required for co-employee gross negligence

2w ago•4 min read

•Iowa Supreme Court ruled unanimously that defendants cannot be required to object to improper victim statements during sentencing

Iowa Supreme Court: Defendants Need Not Object to Improper Victim Statements

The Iowa Supreme Court ruled unanimously that criminal defendants cannot be required to object during sentencing if a victim's oral statement crosses legal boundaries. The decision in State of Iowa v. Malorie Lynn Hallock arose from a first-degree theft case where the defendant's former employer delivered a victim-impact statement that may have contained improper elements.

•Decision arose from theft case where district court imposed maximum 10-year sentence despite joint recommendation for deferred judgment

2w ago•4 min read

•Iowa Supreme Court sustained writ of certiorari challenging Scott County district court's denial of public defender withdrawal motions

Iowa Supreme Court Rules for State Public Defender in Scott County Case

The Iowa Supreme Court sustained a writ of certiorari in favor of the State Public Defender, challenging district court orders that appointed local public defenders and denied withdrawal motions in six Scott County criminal cases. The court acknowledged Iowa's broader indigent defense crisis while limiting its review to specific statutory interpretation issues.

•Case involved six criminal cases where Davenport public defender's office cited temporary case overload under Iowa Code section 13B.9(4)(a)

2w ago•2 min read

•Iowa Supreme Court unanimously affirmed dismissal of lawsuit against Estherville police officers

Iowa Supreme Court Upholds Dismissal of Lawsuit Against Estherville Police Officers

The Iowa Supreme Court affirmed a Court of Appeals decision that upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit against Estherville Police Department officers and the city. Ten plaintiffs had sued officers Benjamin Scheevel and Chief Brent Shatto, along with the City of Estherville, over alleged misuse of confidential criminal history data, but the case was dismissed on statute of limitations grounds.

•Ten plaintiffs' claims over alleged improper access to confidential criminal data were barred by statute of limitations

2w ago•4 min read

•Douglas Warburton was sentenced to up to 10 years plus lifetime supervision for lascivious acts with a child involving his grandchild

Iowa Supreme Court Affirms Child Sex Crime Conviction, Rules on Appeal Procedures

The Iowa Supreme Court affirmed the conviction of Douglas Neal Warburton for lascivious acts with a child while addressing procedural issues regarding appellate jurisdiction over resentencing motions that were not properly identified in appeal notices.

•The Iowa Court of Appeals ruled it lacked jurisdiction to review a resentencing motion denial because it wasn't properly identified in the appeal notice

3w ago•4 min read

•Iowa Supreme Court unanimously affirmed dismissal of wrongful death claims against Oakland Manor nursing facility

Iowa Supreme Court Upholds COVID-19 Immunity Law in Nursing Home Death Case

The Iowa Supreme Court unanimously affirmed the dismissal of wrongful death claims against Oakland Manor nursing facility, clarifying the scope of COVID-19 liability protections for healthcare providers. The ruling addresses the balance between facility immunity and patient safety during the pandemic.

•Case provides first major interpretation of Iowa's COVID-19 Response and Back-to-Business Limited Liability Act

3w ago•4 min read

•Iowa Supreme Court unanimously affirmed jurisdiction over TikTok entities in Attorney General Brenna Bird's lawsuit

Iowa Supreme Court Affirms Jurisdiction Over TikTok in Safety Lawsuit

The Iowa Supreme Court unanimously affirmed a district court's denial of TikTok's motion to dismiss Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird's lawsuit. The case alleges TikTok entities misled users about app safety through false age ratings despite mature content.

•Case alleges TikTok misled users with "12+" age rating despite mature content on platform