State Judicial Nominating Commission

The State Judicial Nominating Commission interviews applicants and selects nominees for appointment to the Iowa Supreme Court and the Iowa Court of Appeals.  This commission is composed of eight commissioners elected by lawyers (two representing each congressional district) and nine commissioners appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Iowa Senate.  The chair is elected by the commission from its members.  All commissioners serve for a term of six years.    

Within sixty days of receiving a notice of a judicial vacancy from the governor, the commission must submit the names of nominees to the governor. The commission selects three nominees for each appointment to the supreme court and five nominees for each appointment to the court of appeals.    

• State Judicial Nominating Commission members, vacancies, and nominees
• Commission procedures
• Governing Provisions
  • The Iowa Constitution (Amendment of 1962)
  • Iowa Code Chapter 46 
  • Senate File 2096, Repealing Gender Balance Requirements for Appointive Bodies 
  • Second Amended and Restated State and District Judicial Nominating Commissions Uniform Rules of Procedure (January 15, 2025)
• Serve on commission
• Where to send written comments about the qualifications of applicants for judicial vacancies

Judicial Officers

• The Iowa Constitution requires each nominee for an appellate court vacancy to be:
  • A  lawyer admitted to practice law in Iowa
  • A resident of the state to which they are nominated
  • Of an age as they can serve an initial term of office before reaching age 78
• Oath of Office