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Iowa intermediate appellate court elections, 2026
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The terms of three Iowa intermediate appellate court judges will expire on December 31, 2026. The three seats are up for retention election on November 3, 2026.
Judges with expiring terms
- This is a list of the judges who must stand for retention election in 2026 in order to remain on the bench. Judges may choose not to stand for election. The list is subject to change if judges retire or are appointed.
■ John Sandy
■ Julie Schumacher
■ Sharon Soorholtz Greer
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Iowa
Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.
Selection
The nine justices on the Iowa Court of Appeals are selected through the assisted appointment method. When a vacancy occurs on the court of appeals, the State Judicial Nominating Commission submits a list of five potential nominees to the governor, who appoints one to serve as a judge.
Newly appointed judges serve for one year after their appointment. They must then compete in a yes-no retention election (occurring during the regularly scheduled general election) if they wish to remain on the court. They then serve six-year terms.[1]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:[1]
- licensed to practice law in the state;
- a member of the Iowa bar;
- a resident of the state, district, or county to which they are appointed; and
- under the age of 72.
Note: Retirement at 72 is mandatory, though older judges may apply to become a senior judge. Senior judges must work a minimum of 13 weeks a year and are to receive a monthly retirement annuity and an annual stipend. They must retire at age 78 (or 80, if reappointed by the supreme court for additional one-year terms).[2]
Chief judge
The chief judge of the court of appeals is elected by peer vote and serves a two-year term.[1]
Vacancies
If a midterm vacancy occurs on the court, the seat is filled as it normally would be if the vacancy occurred at the end of a judge's term. A judicial nominating commission recommends qualified candidates to the governor and the governor selects a successor from that list. The new appointee serves for at least one year and then stands for retention.[3]
See also
External links
Footnotes
Federal courts:
Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa
State courts:
Iowa Supreme Court • Iowa Court of Appeals • Iowa district courts
State resources:
Courts in Iowa • Iowa judicial elections • Judicial selection in Iowa
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