Iowa Supreme Court Justice Mark Cady will serve as interim chief justice

The Iowa Supreme Court selected Justice Mark Cady, of Ft. Dodge, to serve as interim chief justice, beginning January 1.

Cady was appointed to the court by Gov. Terry Branstad in 1998. He replaces Chief Justice Marsha Ternus, whose term expires December 31, after voters in November chose not to retain her.

Cady will serve as chief justice until three new justices are selected to replace Ternus, and the other two justices who lost their retention vote, Michael Streit and David Baker. The court will then hold another vote for chief justice to allow the entire court to participate in the selection.

“Once I assume the duties of chief justice in January, my foremost concern will be to do all I can to support the work of Iowa's high caliber court system and to expand the public's access to justice,” Cady said. “I look forward to working with Governor Branstad and the legislature on these and other matters affecting the administration of justice.”

The three justices were voted out after a controversial campaign spearheaded by Bob Vander Plaats, who asked voters to oust the justices because they ruled the Defense of Marriage Act violated equal protection right and was unconstitutional, which led to legalizing same-sex marriage.

The election results were certified Nov. 29, and Cady, the chairman of the State Nominating Commission, is expected to send out a notice to members next week regarding when they will convene to start the process of selecting the new justices.