Complainant Sara Wilson filed a complaint with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission alleging the Municipal Housing Agency of Council Bluffs discriminated against her on the basis of disability. Specifically, Wilson claimed she was denied housing based on her prior drug addiction and was denied a reasonable accommodation for her disability. According to Wilson, she was […]

Plaintiff Natasha Shelton sued the Iron Saddle Saloon, an establishment in Dayton, Iowa, alleging it was liable for her injuries (commuted skull fracture and closed head injuries, among other things) from an assault on its premises.  Plaintiff alleged Iron Saddle violated its two safety rules when an altercation occurs on its premises when it (1) […]

In Griffin v. Pate, et al., the Supreme Court considered whether delivery of a controlled substance is an “infamous crime” under the voter disqualification provision of the Iowa Constitution. The lawsuit challenged the 1994 law that defined all felonies as “infamous crimes,” unless restored by the governor. The Court held the term “infamous crime” was […]

The Supreme Court of Iowa ordered a new trial in a wrongful-death action arising from a fatal fall from an apartment balcony. The case presented several issues on the applicability of the negligence per se doctrine to an alleged municipal housing code violation. In 2011, Shannon Potts was drinking with friends in a Des Moines […]

The Iowa Supreme Court recently issued an important decision as it relates to coverage of defective workmanship claims.  In National Surety Corp. v. Westlake Investments, LLC., an owner of an apartment complex (Westlake) and its excess carrier (National Surety) squared of as to who was obligated to pay, if anyone, for water penetration into Westlake’s […]

The Iowa State Bar Association’s Jury Instructions Committee updated the civil jury instructions, which are now in effect. The changes in the civil instructions impact instruction 100.2 related to juror biases. The new instruction includes the following language: As you consider the evidence, do not be influenced by any personal sympathy, bias, prejudices or emotions. […]

Following a rear-end car accident, Plaintiff filed suit against the driver who hit her and Draught House 50, the dram shop where the driver had been prior to the accident.  Plaintiff alleged the dram shop was liable for selling and serving alcohol to the driver when it knew or should have known the driver was […]

It seems everything these days is digital. But even in this tech age, you may have to replace a lost or stolen document. Here are resources for obtaining hard copies of important documents. Birth Certificate: If you need a birth certificate and you were born in the U.S., contact the vital records office in the […]

Taxes.  We all pay taxes, but sometimes we make mistakes or “embellish” our deductions.  Here are some interesting stories and facts you may enjoy. Trickster Tax Accountant – A former baseball player hired an accountant to manage his financial affairs, pay his bills, and file his tax returns.  He fired her a few years later […]

COMMUNICATION IS KEY: INFORMING YOUR FAMILY OF YOUR ESTATE PLANNING OBJECTIVES “100% of people believe death will occur someday; 99.9% do not believe it will be tomorrow.” Anonymous Client The quote above is on the last page of our Estate Planning Worksheet, and we think it is an accurate representation on how many people view […]