Unhappy with past court decisions and hoping to control future decisions, Statehouse Republicans are pushing for a court system that will put politics ahead of the law.

Senate Republicans are proposing a new system that will favor their political appointees and donors. Such changes could dramatically alter Iowa’s legal landscape by giving excessive power to the Governor, which defeats our system of checks and balances.

Senate Study Bill 1101 will end Iowa’s highly respected nonpartisan method of choosing judges based on merit — a procedure that US Senator "Chuck" Grassley helped put in place when he was a state legislator in the early 1960s.

Currently, all resident lawyers in Iowa may participate in the process of electing members to the state’s Judicial Nominating Commissions. An equal number of Iowans are appointed to the Commissions by the Governor.

Judicial Nominating Commissions evaluate and interview applicants for judgeships and provide a list of recommended nominees to the Governor, who selects her preferred choice.

Under SSB 1101, the Governor will continue to appoint members to the Judicial Nominating Commissions. However, commissioners will no longer be subject to Senate confirmation. In addition, practicing lawyers in Iowa — the people most familiar with their colleagues’ work — will no longer participate in electing members to the Judicial Nominating Commission. Instead, legislative leaders will choose the remaining members.

The range of judges appointed by the Governor is also expanded under the bill. Currently, the Governor appoints Supreme Court justices, Court of Appeals judges and the District Court judges. This bill adds all associate judges, including juvenile court judges and probate judges.

Additional information

This is a legislative update by State Senator Jim Lykam, representing Davenport and Buffalo. For bio, photos and further information, go to www.senate.iowa.gov/senator/lykam.

To contact Senator Lykam when the Legislature is in session, call the Senate Switchboard at 515-281-3371. Otherwise he can be reached at 563-391-1919. E-mail him at jim.lykam@legis.iowa.gov.

Senator Lykam serves on the following committees:

Transportation, Infrastructure, and Capitals Appropriations Subcommittee (Ranking Member)

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