Iowa Supreme Court

The highest court in Iowa. Who sits on it, how they got there and how long their terms run.

Assisted appointment (governor-controlled commission)How justices are chosenA nominating commission screens candidates and sends a shortlist; the governor appoints from it. In many such states, justices later face yes/no retention elections.

8 yearsTerm length

7Sitting justices

1846Founded

No public decision data available for this court. There is no free, consistently coded source of how each state justice votes in cases, so this site doesn't score state judges.

Justices

Susan Christensen

Chief Justice

Party as listed: Nonpartisan

Took office: 2018

Appointed by Kim Reynolds (R)

Photo: Ballotpedia

Edward Mansfield

Justice

Party as listed: Nonpartisan

Took office: 2011

Appointed by Terry E. Branstad (R)

Photo: Ballotpedia

David May

Justice

Party as listed: Nonpartisan

Took office: August 19, 2022

Appointed by Kim Reynolds (R)

Photo: Ballotpedia

Matthew McDermott

Justice

Party as listed: Nonpartisan

Took office: April 3, 2020

Appointed by Kim Reynolds (R)

Photo: Ballotpedia

Christopher McDonald

Justice

Party as listed: Nonpartisan

Took office: April 5, 2019

Appointed by Kim Reynolds (R)

Photo: Ballotpedia

Dana Oxley

Justice

Party as listed: Nonpartisan

Took office: February 24, 2020

Appointed by Kim Reynolds (R)

Photo: Ballotpedia

Thomas Waterman

Justice

Party as listed: Nonpartisan

Took office: 2011

Appointed by Terry E. Branstad (R)

Photo: Ballotpedia

Source: Ballotpedia, Iowa Supreme Court (retrieved Oct 26, 2026). “Party as listed” is Ballotpedia’s label; many state justices are officially nonpartisan. Photos from each justice’s Ballotpedia page (or Wikimedia Commons where Ballotpedia has none). Click a name for a short profile.