Justice
Iowa House raises trucker liability caps to $5 million
The Iowa House sent trucking liability legislation back to the Senate Tuesday with a higher noneconomic damages cap and fewer limits on employer liability than originally proposed. The changes adopted to Senate File 228 represent a compromise reached through weeks of discussion with trucking companies, victims and legal advocates, Rep. Bill Gustoff, R-Des Moines said. […]
Former prosecutor, accused of drunkenness, cites ‘Auto-Brewery Syndrome’ diagnosis
Dickinson County’s former top criminal prosecutor, accused of being “passed out” on more than one occasion while at work, has pleaded guilty to a charge of public intoxication. Court records indicate former Dickinson County Attorney Amy Zenor appears to be claiming she’s afflicted with Auto-Brewery Syndrome, an exceptionally rare medical condition that causes a person […]
Couple sues veterinarian, alleging negligence was hidden from them
A Polk County couple is suing an Iowa veterinarian for allegedly intercepting and withholding records indicating their dog’s death was due to negligence. In a lawsuit filed in Polk County District Court, Jennifer and Chris Higgins of Polk County allege Mobile Animal Health Care and Dr. Linda Stroh provided veterinary services for their dog, Hailey, […]
Iowa lawmakers move toward raising penalties for fentanyl distribution
As law enforcement agencies grapple with a spike in fentanyl overdoses, the Iowa House moved forward this week with a measure increasing penalties on distribution of the drug. House File 595 is another of Gov. Kim Reynolds’ priorities for the 2023 legislative session. Overdose deaths caused by synthetic opioids like fentanyl are rising in Iowa. The […]
Iowa senators propose resolution condemning jail treatment of Jan. 6 rioters
Six Republican state senators have introduced a resolution condemning the treatment and punishment of people jailed and charged for participation in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection. Senate Resolution 8 would have the Iowa Senate denounce the federal and District of Columbia’s governments for the “abject dereliction of duty to ensure cruel and unusual punishments […]
Lawmakers expect House debate on bill addressing university sports lawsuits
A bill specifying that state university athletic departments have to pay for their own lawsuit settlements is expected to see debate on the Iowa House floor. The legislation was introduced after a settlement of nearly $4.2 million against the University of Iowa athletics department in a lawsuit filed by 12 former football players. House File […]
Trump’s possible arrest by Manhattan DA blasted by U.S. House GOP leaders
Former President Donald Trump’s claim that he would be arrested Tuesday had not materialized by early evening on the East Coast, but U.S. House Republicans harshly criticized any such move as an abuse of prosecutorial authority. In an all-caps post to his social media site, Truth Social, on Saturday, Trump predicted that he would be […]
Iowa doctor sued over alleged sexual exploitation of patient
An Iowa physician is being sued by a former patient who is accusing him of sexual exploitation and negligence. The lawsuit, filed by a Linn County woman using the pseudonym Jane Doe, accuses Dr. Scott Piper of Cedar Rapids’ Piper Family Medicine of perpetuating a personal, sexual relationship that crossed professional boundaries and also involved […]
Why we need cameras in federal courts
It is high time the federal judiciary got over itself and joined the 20th century, much less the 21st. Here we are some 70 years after the invention of television, and our federal court system still operates behind a black curtain that keeps all of us from better understanding the critical decisions being made that affect […]
Judge rules against coffee giant in tax exemption lawsuit
An Orleans Parish judge in Louisiana lifted an injunction in the Folgers Coffee Co. tax exemption lawsuit, allowing local taxing authorities to bill the company for an estimated $5.1 million. Prompted by a decision Gov. John Bel Edwards made Monday to reject the coffee giant’s final appeals for six Industrial Tax Exemption Program (ITEP) applications, […]
Idaho House votes to add firing squad as an alternative form of execution
With state officials unable to obtain chemicals to carry out an execution by lethal injection, the Republican-controlled Idaho House of Representatives voted March 3 to pass a bill that would add the firing squad as an alternative method of execution. Currently, lethal injection is the only form of execution allowed in Idaho. House Bill 186 […]
Iowa Senate passes bill increasing child pornography, exploitation penalties
People convicted of crimes related to child exploitation and pornography would face stiffer penalties under a bill the Iowa Senate unanimously passed Monday. Sen. Dan Dawson, R-Council Bluffs, said the idea for Senate File 84 came up while reviewing current Iowa laws that deal with such crimes. “Most law enforcement in Iowa knows that if […]