6th Judicial District judge headed to federal court

Sixth Judicial District Judge Stephen Jackson Jr. has been selected as a U.S. Magistrate for the Southern District of Iowa.

Jackson, 48, of Cedar Rapids, will serve his last day on the state bench Feb. 2 and start his new position the next day to replace retiring U.S. Magistrate Ross A. Walters.

Walters retires after over 20 years on the federal bench and four years as a district judge in Des Moines. Judge Walters has been recalled to provide additional service on a part-time basis for another year.

'I am honored and excited for the challenge,” Jackson said Friday. 'It was a great opportunity that came along, just like this (district judgeship) but I'm going to deeply miss my judge colleagues, my court reporter Cindy (Goerdt), the clerks and court administration.”

He officially received confirmation of his appointment Thursday.

Jackson will office out of the U.S. District Courthouse in Davenport but will provide judicial duties throughout the district.

He was appointed to the state court bench Nov. 12, 2010. Before the appointment, Jackson was in private practice with his father Stephen Jackson Sr. in Cedar Rapids from 1994 to 2010 after initially being with a firm in Chicago after passing the bar.

Jackson graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1988 and received his Juris Doctorate in 1991 from the University of Iowa College of Law with distinction.