Monthly Archives: February 2021

Guy Cook Co-Chairs Task Force that was Instrumental in Reopening Iowa Courts to Jury Trials

February 9, 2021

With the assistance of the Jumpstart Jury Trials Task Force, Iowa courts resumed jury trials on February 1, 2021. The Iowa Supreme Court created the Jumpstart Jury Trials Task Force on May 6, 2020, “to develop temporary policies and procedures for jury trials resuming following the COVID-19 postponements.” The 17-member task force reviewed jury trial […]


Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commission Extends Suspension of In-Person Hearings

February 4, 2021

The Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commission issued an updated Order on February 2, 2021, extending the suspension of all in-person regular contested hearings before the agency from March 19, 2021, through at least June 18, 2021. Regular hearings that were scheduled to occur during that period will be conducted via video conference, using CourtCall, unless the […]


Iowa Supreme Court Confirms that Punitive Damages are Unavailable in Excessive Force Claims against the State

Plaintiff, Krystal Wagner, individually and as the administrator of her son’s estate, filed suit against the State of Iowa and a Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officer. Wagner’s son, who was nineteen years old and suicidal, was shot and killed by a DNR officer during an armed standoff. Wagner filed suit in federal court, asserting […]


Iowa Resumes Jury Trials

Iowa courts resumed jury trials on February 1, 2021, with social distance, face covering, and other safety precautions in place to keep jurors, judges, attorneys, and other trial participants socially distant and compliant with state and federal guidelines. Jury trials were postponed when the Iowa Supreme Court issued an Order on November 10, 2020, suspending […]


Andrew Hall Takes Over as Managing Partner at Grefe & Sidney

Andrew Hall has been made the new Managing Partner of Grefe & Sidney, taking over from Mark Thomas, who served as Managing Partner for the past thirteen years. Hall has practiced with Grefe & Sidney since 1990 and in that time has developed extensive experience in insurance defense matters, including automobile personal injury, construction claims, […]