New Iowa Supreme Court Associate Justice Susan Christensen mindful of the significance of her appointment

By Erin Murphy, Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau

DES MOINES - Susan Christensen said becoming the only woman on the Iowa Supreme Court was never a big deal for her.

Until, that is, she started to receive correspondence from women all over the state.

'I've always believed that my gender has nothing to do with my qualifications. It has nothing to do with my experience, nothing to do with my passion, nothing to do with my desire to keep learning,” she said. 'But what I have learned since my appointment is that it sure means a lot to others. And it reflects the diversity of our state.”

Christensen was sworn in Friday as the Iowa Supreme Court's 111th justice. She replaces Bruce Zager, who retired Sep. 3.

Gov. Kim Reynolds - Iowa's first female governor - swore in her first Supreme Court nominee in a ceremony in the Supreme Court chambers.

Then Christensen donned the robe worn by her father, Jerry Larson, the longest-serving justice in Iowa Supreme Court history, who died in April. She took the seat on the bench - not intentionally, but by coincidence - that Larson formerly occupied.

'Gov. Reynolds, I am so honored to have you swear me in today, but you were actually my second choice,” an emotional Christensen said. 'He never stopped watching me. And I never stopped watching him ...

'I'm pretty sure a seed was planted with Dad, but I truly just plain loved the man. The career was pretty cool, too. But I just loved him. He continues to be with me in spirit, and I feel his presence around me today.”

Christensen also was emotional when she spoke about the extensive number of handwritten notes, letters, emails and text messages from young women and girls across the state.

'It is truly humbling and I embrace that challenge,” Christensen said. 'I didn't realize how much other people needed that.”

Christensen is the court's only current female justice, but not its first. Former Chief Justice Marsha Ternus was at Friday's ceremony, and a portion of a letter written by Linda Neuman, the first woman to serve on the court, was read during the ceremony.

Current Chief Justice Mark Cady welcomed Christensen to the court.

'I want you to know how deeply honored I am to serve with you on this court as I was with your father,” Cady said.