1st Judicial District Court
A general-jurisdiction trial court in Iowa.
The 1st Judicial District Court is a general-jurisdiction trial court in Iowa, where most civil and criminal cases are first heard. Its judges are chosen by gubernatorial appointment from a nominating commission, followed by retention elections, the method Iowa uses for its judges. This page lists the court's sitting judges, from Iowa's official judicial directory.
Current judges
- Monica Z. Ackley
- Melissa A. Anderson-Seeber
- Thomas A. Bitter
- Joel A. Dalrymple
- Andrea J. Dryer
- Linda M. Fangman
- Alan T. Heavens
- David P. Odekirk
- Laura J. Parrish
- Michael J. Shubatt
- David F. Staudt
- Richard D. Stochl
- John J. Sullivan
Former judges
No former judges on record.
How a judge reaches this court. Judges of the 1st Judicial District Court are appointed by the governor to 8-year terms and then face yes-or-no retention elections. Selection methods vary by jurisdiction and have changed over time; this page reflects the court’s current method (source: National Center for State Courts). Open any judge to see their tenure and whom they succeeded.
Source: Iowa Judicial Branch, District Court Judges; selection method from the National Center for State Courts. Data as of 2026-07-01 (official state directory). Verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).