In the Balance

Welcome back. This month I spoke with Judge Patrick McElyea about what a typical day might look like for a district court judge in the seventh judicial district. Learn about the types of cases a district court judge can hear, the differences between a bench trial and jury trial, and what fills a judge’s time when they aren’t on the bench.

Host: Marissa Gaal

Guest: Judge Patrick McElyea, District 7 District Court Judge

Music from The Epic 2  by Rafael Krux
 Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Welcome back. This month I spoke with Judge Patrick McElyea about what a typical day might look like for a district court judge in the seventh judicial district. Learn about the types of cases a district court judge can hear, the differences between a bench trial and jury trial, and what fills a judge’s time when they aren’t on the bench.

Host: Marissa Gaal

Guest: Judge Patrick McElyea, District 7 District Court Judge

Music from The Epic 2  by Rafael Krux
 Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this month’s episode, I am sitting down with District 4 Court Administrator Laura Kyndesen to talk about her experience as a clerk of court, a district court administrator, and how distributive workload processing between counties is not only streamlining work for judicial employees but improving court services for Iowans as well.

Host: Marissa Gaal

Guest: Laura Kyndesen, District 4 Court Administrator

In this month’s episode, I am sitting down with District 4 Court Administrator Laura Kyndesen to talk about her experience as a clerk of court, a district court administrator, and how distributive workload processing between counties is not only streamlining work for judicial employees but improving court services for Iowans as well.

Host: Marissa Gaal

Guest: Laura Kyndesen, District 4 Court Administrator

In recognition of Black History Month, this episode will be covering the first case heard by our state’s supreme court, back when Iowa was still a territory. Iowa has a long-standing history of upholding civil rights, often preceding federal civil rights laws by decades. Iowa’s first cast, In the Matter of Ralph, was also its first civil rights case.


Music from The Epic 2  by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Music From Inspiring Noir Piano Waltz by MusicLFiles
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/8785-inspiring-noir-piano-waltz
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Welcome back to another episode, and our first of 2022. On January 13th of this year, Chief Justice Susan Larson Christensen gave the Condition of the Judiciary to a joint audience of the Iowa Senate and House of Representatives from the Capitol building in Des Moines. To explore the topics covered in this year’s condition of the judiciary and 2021’s annual report, I sat down with Bob Gast, the judicial branch’s state court administrator, and District 1 Chief Judge Kellyann Lekar.

Host: Marissa Gaal
Guests: Bob Gast, State Court Administrator, and Chief Judge Kellyann Lekar

Music from The Epic 2  by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Budget Request: https://www.iowacourts.gov/static/media/cms/FY_23_Budget_Request_Overview_A6942C5F3C9D6.pdf

Budget Letter: https://www.iowacourts.gov/static/media/cms/Budget_Letter_112921_08A663070AA0E.pdf

2021 Annual Report: https://www.iowacourts.gov/static/media/cms/202122_Annual_Report_FINAL_A8214596B0B85.pdf

Text of the Speech: https://www.iowacourts.gov/static/media/cms/2022_SOJ__version_FINAL_WITH_COVER_038BA32658F09.pdf

This month to honor Veterans Day, I sat down with Judge Tod Deck and Judge Jeffrey Poulson to discuss their work in the District 3 Veterans Specialty Court. To hear more about how this specialty court got its start and the important work it does, keep listening.

Host: Marissa Gaal
Guests: Judge Todd Deck and Judge Jeffrey Poulson, District 3

Music from The Epic 2  by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

October is Pro Bono Month, and in honor of this, I sat down with Shelley Whitcher and Brynne Howard to discuss Iowa's Access to Justice Commission and the new 2022 Pro Bono Pledge for Iowa attorneys. 

If you are an attorney in Iowa wanting to pledge 22 hours of pro bono work in 2022, visit the site below.
https://www.drake.edu/law/alumni/events/markscadydayofpublicservice/

Host: Marissa Gaal
Guest: Shelley Whitcher, Deputy Director of Iowa Legal and Access to Justice Commission Vice-Chair, and Brynne Howard, Iowa Legal Aid Volunteer Lawyers & Pro Bono Projects Managing Attorney

Music from The Epic 2  by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In September’s episode, we sat down with court of appeals judge Michael Mullins out of Washington, Iowa. To learn about his nontraditional path to the bench, the effect his background in social work had on his approach to his legal practice, and the case that left a lasting impact on him over the course of his career, keep listening.

Host: Marissa Gaal
Guest: Judge Michael Mullins, Iowa Court of Appeals

Music from The Epic 2  by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5384-the-epic-2-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/