Three Iowa Supreme Court justices ousted from court
November 3, 2010
Iowa: The three Iowa Supreme Court justices on the November 2 ballot for retention have been voted off of the court. David Baker, Marsha Ternus and Michael Streit must all leave the court upon the December 31, 2010 expiration of their terms. This is the first time a supreme court justice has not been retained since the state instituted its system of appointment and retention in 1962.[1]
The reason for their ouster is widely believed to be backlash for a unanimous 2009 ruling of the supreme court that overturned the state's ban on gay marriages. Anti-gay marriage groups such as the National Organization for Marriage, the American Family Association and the Family Research Council spent more than $700,000 on campaigns against the justices.[1] Campaigns in support of retaining the justices spent more than $200,000.[2]
Chief Justice Ternus was appointed to the court in 1993 by Governor Terry Branstad. Streit was appointed by Governor Tom Vilsack in 2001, and Baker was appointed to the court in 2008 by Governor Chet Culver.[3]
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
