A jury convicted Brian Allison of three counts of sexual abuse in the third degree in 2011. He appealed his conviction. In his direct appeal, Allison argued the district court erred in not granting him a new trial based upon the weight of the evidence under Iowa Rule of Criminal Procedure 2.24(2)(b)(6). Among other things, Allison noted the victim, his stepdaughter, initially denied the abuse, ... More...    $0 (07-03-2018 - IA)

Jorge Perez-Castillo appeals the district court’s denial of his application for
postconviction relief (PCR), following his conviction for two counts of murder in
the first degree and two counts of attempted murder. He raises numerous claims
of ineffective assistance of counsel, as well as various constitutional claims. We
generally review PCR proceedings for correction of err... More...    $0 (04-21-2017 - IA)

Serrato was charged with killing Mimi Carmona, who was pregnant at the
time. Serrato and Carmona were observed arguing in the parking lot of a bar in
Muscatine, Iowa, on October 21, 2006. Carmona’s body was found in Illinois on
October 22. Serrato was convicted of first-degree murder, in violation of Iowa
Code section 707.2 (2005), and nonconsensual termination of a human More...    $0 (02-22-2017 - IA)

In the early morning hours of Labor Day, September 1, 2014, Officer Brian Cuppy was on patrol in downtown Des Moines when he saw a truck eastbound on Court Avenue stop for a red light in the middle of the intersection with Water Street with its “back tires . . . more than five feet past the cross walk.” Officer Cuppy followed the truck, activated his police cruiser’s flashing lights, and initiate... More...    $0 (06-25-2016 - IA)

Cedar Rapids, IA - Maquoketa Man Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Trafficking in Black Rhino Horns

A man who illegally bought and transported black rhino horns from Oregon to Iowa was sentenced to more than two years in federal prison.

James Hess, age 39, from Maquoketa, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 13, 2015, guilty plea to one count ... More...    $0 (10-25-2015 - IA)

In 2010, the plaintiffs sued their Iowa employers, Manley Toy Direct,
L.L.C., and Toy Network, L.L.C., and related companies for alleged violations of
the Iowa Civil Rights Act, Iowa Code chapter 216 (2009). Additional related
entity defendants were added in two amendments, including Manley Toys
Limited and Toy Quest, Ltd. (collectively, hereinafter “Entity Defendants”). The <... More...    $0 (08-19-2015 - IA)

Cedar Rapids, IA - A man who illegally bought and transported black rhino horns from Oregon to Iowa pled guilty in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

James Hess, 39, from Maquoketa, Iowa, was convicted of one count of violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits interstate trade in certain wildlife, including wildlife determined to be endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Black rhinos are... More...    $0 (05-13-2015 - IA)

A father appeals the visitation provisions of the decree dissolving his marriage. Specifically, the father challenges a geographical restriction in the decree that limits the father’s summer visitation with his son to visitation within the United States until the child is sixteen years old. The father contends he should be able to exercise summer visitation with his son in Israel prior to the ch... More...    $0 (02-11-2015 - IA)

Alleging that his son DJ had been wrongfully retained in Iowa by Michelle Garland Stern, DJ's mother, Martin Stern petitioned in the district court2 under the International Child Abduction Remedies Act (ICARA) for DJ's transfer to Israel for custody adjudication there. The district court denied the petition after finding that the United States was DJ's habitual residence at the time of the alleged... More...    $0 (05-06-2011 - IA)

Barbara Ernster sued Luxco, Inc., alleging wrongful termination in violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), 29 U.S.C. § 626 et seq., and the Iowa Civil Rights Act (ICRA), Iowa Code Ann. Ch. 216. After denying Luxco summary judgment on the threshold issue of whether Ernster was an employee or an independent contractor, the district court1 ordered a jury trial of that issue. More...    $0 (02-24-2010 - IA)

In this case, we must decide if our state statute limiting civil marriage to a union between a man and a woman violates the Iowa Constitution, as the district court ruled. On our review, we hold the Iowa marriage statute violates the equal protection clause of the Iowa Constitution. Therefore, we affirm the decision of the district court.

I. Background Facts and Proceedings.

This... More...    $0 (04-08-2009 - IA)