Capitol Notebook: Calendar set for Iowa Supreme Court’s next term

DES MOINES — The Iowa Supreme Court’s 2022-2023 calendar has been set, and will run from Thursday through June 30, 2023, the court announced Tuesday.

The court also announced five special sessions of oral arguments: 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30, at the University of Iowa School of Law; 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 26, at the Donna Reed Theater in Denison; 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 20, at the Iowa Judicial Branch Building in Des Moines; 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 30, at Drake Law School in Des Moines; and 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 4, at Perry High School.

All Iowa Supreme Court oral arguments are open to the public and livestreamed on the court’s YouTube page. The court’s opinions will continue to be posted at 9 a.m. on Fridays on the Iowa Judicial Branch website.

APPEALS COURT VACANCY: The Iowa Judicial Branch has started the process of nominating a new judge to the state Court of Appeals. The vacancy was created when former Appeals Court Judge David May was appointed to the Iowa Supreme Court.

The State Judicial Nominating Commission is accepting applications for the vacancy through Sept. 23. The commission has until Oct. 18 to send a slate of nominees to Gov. Kim Reynolds, who will then make the appointment to the appeals court.

GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY HIGHLIGHTED: The Iowa State Auditor’s office highlighted nearly 30 counties, cities and school districts that participated in a program designed to encourage the sharing of efficient government practices between agencies.

Auditor Rob Sand created the Public Innovations and Efficiencies, or PIE, program in 2019. Sand’s office will deliver a pie to each of the government agencies selected as winners in this year’s program. The full list of winners can be viewed on the state auditor’s website.

“If someone has a great idea on how to save tax dollars, we want them to spread the word,” Sand said in a news release. “PIE provides local leaders with an easy, streamlined sharing process.”

Sand, who is a Democrat, said the program has since been replicated by the Republican state auditor in Mississippi.

Gazette Des Moines Bureau