Adria Kester
Adria Kester is a judge for District 2B in Iowa. She was appointed by Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) on June 29, 2017, to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Gary L. McMinimee.[1]
At the time of her appointment, Kester was a district associate judge for District 2B. She was appointed to that position in February 2013 and retained in 2014.[1][2]
Biography
Kester earned an undergraduate degree from Iowa State University and a J.D. from Drake University Law School. Her professional experience includes work as an assistant public defender, the Boone County attorney, an assistant attorney for Boone County and Hamilton County, and an attorney in private practice.[1][3]
Elections
2014
See also: Iowa judicial elections, 2014
Kester was retained to the 2B District Court with 73.7 percent of the vote on November 4, 2014.
[2]
Noteworthy events
OWI Arrest
On November 4, 2025, Judge Kester was arrested on charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. [4] Witnesses reported finding Kester unresponsive in the driver's seat of her vehicle while moving slowly into the median on U.S. highway 30. [5] Kester was arraigned on November 5, 2025 where she pleaded not guilty and was released without bond and ordered to undergo a substance abuse evaluation. [4]
On December 2, 2025, Kester appeared in court where she pleaded guilty in exchange for a reduced penalty. The presiding judge sentenced her to three days in jail. The court fined Kester $1,250.00, ordered her to complete an OWI education program, temporarily suspended her license, and she must serve one-year probation.[6] Kester remains in her position as a judge of Iowa's Second Judicial District.[7]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Office of the Governor of Iowa Kim Reynolds, "Gov. Reynolds Appoints Adria Kester as District Court Judge," June 29, 2017
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Iowa Secretary of State, "Judges Standing for Retention November 4, 2014 General Election," accessed September 4, 2014
- ↑ Iowa Judicial Branch, "District Two Judges and Magistrates," accessed June 30, 2017
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "AP News","Powerful Iowa judge charged with OWI after witnesses say she drove wrong way on highway", accessed on November 13, 2025"
- ↑ WOWT Channel 6 News, "Judge charged with OWI after witnesses say she drove wrong way on highway while passed out", accessed November, 13, 2025"
- ↑ Des Moines Register,"Iowa ex-chief judge pleads guilty to OWI, sentenced to 3 days in jail", accessed December 5, 2025"
- ↑ Channel 9 ABC News,"Iowa judge pleads guilty to OWI", accessed December 5, 2025"
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
