18 apply for Iowa Court of Appeals judgeship

November 7, 2011

Des Moines, Iowa: Eighteen Iowans are seeking to replace retiring Judge Rosemary Sackett on the Iowa Court of Appeals. The 15-member State Judicial Nominating Commission will interview the applicants on Nov. 8 and 9. After that, they will nominate a number of the candidates to the governor, who will make the final appointment. Judge Sackett retires on January 17, 2012. The candidates to replace her are:

• Hon. Kurt J. Stoebe - judge of Iowa District Two
• Hon. Susan Christensen - associate judge of Iowa District Four

• Alan Roger Ostergren - Muscatine County Attorney
• Peter Christopher Hart - assistant county attorney for Dickinson and Emmet counties

• Bruce Lee Kempkes - assistant attorney general
• Jeanie Kunkle Vaudt - assistant attorney general
• Bruce Lee Kempkes - assistant attorney general

• Christopher Lee McDonald - corporate attorney
• Frank Cal Tenuta - managing attorney for Iowa Legal Aid
• Diane Linda Dornburg - private practice
• Thomas James Duff - private practice
• Sharon Soorholtz Greer - private practice
• Michael Ray Keller - private practice
• David L. Leitner - private practice
• James Paul Moriarty - private practice

UPDATE

On November 8, 2011, the nominating commission selected three finalists, whose names will be sent to the Governor for consideration. The Governor has 30 days to appoint one of the following nominees:

• Hon. Thomas N. Bower - judge of the First Judicial District since 1995 and Chief Judge since 2010.
• Hon. Susan Christensen - associate judge of the Fourth Judicial District since 2007
• Jeanie Kunkle Vaudt - Assistant Attorney General

More information on all the candidates is available on the Iowa Judicial Branch website here: http://www.iowacourts.gov/State_Judicial_Nominating_Commission/Application_Information/