DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa Capitol Bureau) – Iowa’s top judge is calling on state lawmakers to make reforms to the judicial system this legislative session. In particular, she’s asking for changes when it comes to judicial pay and public defenders.

Before a joint session of the legislature Wednesday, Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Susan Christensen laid out her vision to make the judicial system better in her Condition of the Judiciary address.

“While we respect the priorities of leaner government and fiscal responsibility, I ask for your partnership in ensuring the courts have the resources needed to fulfill this promise to Iowans,” she said.

Christensen says a top issue for the Iowa Judicial Branch is getting more attorneys who are willing to represent clients who can’t afford their own attorney. She says the state has only half the number of contracted attorneys to do that compared to 10 years ago.

“If a criminal defendant isn’t provided court appointed counsel, critical deadlines may be missed and the case could fall apart, allowing the defendant to avoid prosecution entirely. It’s that plain and simple,” she said.

Christensen says Iowa pays less than every surrounding state. She says judges have been asking attorneys to sign up for contract work, but aren’t having success.

“We’re told it’s little success because the attorneys won’t work at our low state rate when they have clients that can pay a competitive hourly rate,” she said.

Christensen also wants these lawmakers to increase pay for judges.

In Fiscal Year 2023, a state District Court judge made $158,000. Christensen says that’s lower than every state surrounding Iowa and 41st in the nation.

Iowa judges got a 5% raise last year, which Christensen says was the largest raise state judges have received in the past 16 years.

Christensen says the number of people applying for a judgeship has dropped 56% in the past 20 years. She believes pay for judges is part of the problem.

“We risk attracting a pool of applicants who may not have the qualifications or the proper temperament to serve effectively. This could lead to rulings that are inconsistent or poorly grounded in the law, which ultimately undermines the confidence in our courts,” she said.

Christensen wants the legislature to raise the salaries about $27,000 over the next four years. Kansas used a similar method and increased their judicial pay ranking from 51st in the nation to 29th.

Christensen did not address the Judicial Branch computer error that sent $27.5 million in court fees to the wrong accounts over a five year period in her speech.

Judicial Branch officials previously said that the problem has been corrected.

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Conner Hendricks covers state government and politics for Gray Media-owned stations in Iowa. Email him at conner.hendricks@gray.tv; and follow him on Facebook at Conner Hendricks TV on X/Twitter @ConnerReports, and on TikTok @ConnerReports.

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