Iowa chief justice calls for civil court reform, more funding for judiciary

Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Cady said he'll unveil a blueprint for civil court reform next month that calls for special business courts and new litigation tracks, but encouraged the Legislature to set additional money aside for the judiciary.

Speaking to a joint session of the General Assembly in his annual State of the Judiciary speech, Cady tied the existence of a well-functioning and impartial judiciary as a key component of a solid state economy since businesses have the confidence to invest in a state governed by the rule of law.

“A strong court system can play an important role, if not become the real catalyst, in achieving economic prosperity in Iowa,” Cady said.

Cady seeks $10 million in new money from lawmakers for this fiscal year which, he said, would help bring full-time clerk of the courts in each office statewide, restore status quo funding for the court system and expedite the ongoing expansion of an electronic court documenting system that is now in place in four counties.

“Today, the Iowa Judicial Branch operates on a budget of $154,000,000, about 2½ percent of the total state budget. At the same time, we bring in about $146,000,000 each year through fines, fees, and the like,” Cady told lawmakers.

“So, in truth, everything we provide to this state, including the opportunity for a more prosperous future based on the rule of law secured by fair and impartial courts, costs less than one half of one percent of our total state budget. We need just a small fraction more to adequately fund and staff the branch, but a fraction that will make a world of difference.”

Cady also used his speech to call for continuing work on juvenile justice issues and making the courts more responsive to the community.

Cady added that the work of a special Supreme Court task force comprised of 83 business people, court users, judges and attorneys will release a report next month on civil court reform.

This report “could become the blueprint for a new civil justice system in Iowa comprised of special business courts, special litigation tracks for low-cost and prompt resolution of litigated matters and alternative dispute resolution methods now desired by many,” Cady said. “These processes, as well as others, will help make our court system as relevant and attractive to users as possible and will provide an opportunity to make our court system even more attractive for economic development.”