Nyemaster Goode

Founded in 1918, Nyemaster Goode is Iowa’s largest law firm with offices in Des Moines, Ames, and Cedar Rapids. Our broadly diverse practice enables us to offer solutions to the most challenging legal issues in virtually every area of the law to companies that range in size from emerging start-ups to Fortune 500s, as well as to individuals. Perhaps this is why we were listed as a Go-To Law Firm® in a recent survey of the top 500 U.S. companies by Corporate Counsel magazine.

Residential contractors must be licensed to represent homeowners with insurers

By Rox Laird

February 18, 2020

Contracts written by residential contractors who act as unlicensed “public adjusters” representing homeowners’ with insurers following storm damage are invalid under Iowa law, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled Feb. 14. 33 Carpenters Construction Inc. approached a Bettendorf couple following a hailstorm offering to inspect their home for damage, and subsequently represented the couple in dealing with their insurer, State Farm Life and Casualty. After State Farm made an initial payment on the homeowners’ claim, 33…

On Brief: Iowa's Appellate Blog

Homesteads exempt from mechanic’s lien foreclosure to collect legal fees, Iowa Supreme Court rules

By Rox Laird

February 11, 2020

Homeowners may have to pay a contractor for labor and materials in a mechanic’s lien foreclosure, but they cannot be forced to forfeit their homestead to cover the contractor’s legal fees, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled. That is, however, unless the homesteader waits too long to make that claim. That was the good-news, bad-news result for a Des Moines couple who waged a legal battle for more than three years over a contractor’s $5,400 bill,…

On Brief: Iowa's Appellate Blog

Iowa Supreme Court to hear arguments Feb. 10 in a case of an emotional support dog versus a neighbor with allergies

By Rox Laird

February 7, 2020

Two tenants on the same floor of an Iowa City apartment building assert conflicting rights that seem irreconcilable — one needs a dog for emotional support and the other is allergic to dogs — and they are asking the Iowa Supreme Court to decide which party should prevail. The case, Cohen v. Clark, will be argued in a special evening session of the Iowa Supreme Court Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. at the Judicial…

On Brief: Iowa's Appellate Blog

Transformation of Iowa Supreme Court continues with Dana Oxley’s appointment

By Rox Laird

January 29, 2020

With the appointment of Cedar Rapids attorney Dana Oxley, the Supreme Court is one step closer to a historic transformation. On Jan 28, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced the appointment of Oxley to replace the late Chief Justice Mark Cady. Oxley, 52, has practiced law at Shuttleworth & Ingersoll in Cedar Rapids since 2011, when she rejoined the firm after serving as a clerk for now-retired Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge David R. Hansen for…

On Brief: Iowa's Appellate Blog

Iowa Supreme Court says its ruling on racial composition of juries does not apply retroactively

By Rox Laird

January 28, 2020

Two years ago the Iowa Supreme Court overruled a quarter-century-old precedent that established an exclusive test for determining whether a criminal jury reflects a fair cross section of the community. In its decision in Thongvanh v. State handed down Jan. 24, the Court held that its 2017 decision in State v. Plain does not apply retroactively to appellants whose convictions were final before that decision. The Court in Plain recognized that, because of Iowa’s relatively…

On Brief: Iowa's Appellate Blog

Iowa Supreme Court says its ruling on racial composition of juries does not apply retroactively

By Rox Laird

January 28, 2020

On Brief: Iowa's Appellate Blog

Iowa Supreme Court to hear oral arguments in eight appeals Jan. 22 and 23

By Rox Laird

January 17, 2020

The Iowa Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in eight cases Jan. 22 and 23, and three appeals will be submitted to the Court without oral argument. Following are brief summaries of the cases. Go to On Brief’s Cases in the Pipeline page to read briefs submitted by the parties to the Court. State v. Fordyce Scheduled for oral argument Jan. 22, 9 a.m. Steve W. Fordyce II seeks further review of a June 5…

On Brief: Iowa's Appellate Blog

Acting Chief Justice Wiggins to deliver State of the Judiciary speech to the Legislature Jan. 15

By Rox Laird

January 9, 2020

Acting Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court David Wiggins will deliver the 2020 State of the Judiciary address to the Iowa General Assembly Jan. 15. The speech will be given to a joint session of both houses of the Legislature in the Iowa House chamber beginning at 10 a.m. A public reception will follow in the Iowa Supreme Court’s Historic Courtroom in the Capitol. Justice Wiggins became acting chief justice upon the death Nov.…

On Brief: Iowa's Appellate Blog

Statutory enforcement of workplace drug test violations the exclusive remedy, Iowa Supreme Court rules

By Rox Laird

December 20, 2019

A person cannot bring a common-law claim for wrongful discharge for a violation of a state statute that governs employer drug and alcohol testing procedures because the statute provides a civil remedy for violations of the statute, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled unanimously in a decision handed down Dec. 13. Deborah Ferguson sued Exide Technologies after she was fired for refusing to take a drug and alcohol test. Ferguson made two claims against Exide in…

On Brief: Iowa's Appellate Blog

Iowa Supreme Court set to begin three days of oral arguments Dec. 16.

By Rox Laird

December 12, 2019

The Iowa Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in 13 appeals Dec. 16, 17 and 18, and another four cases will be submitted without oral argument. The Court scheduled the unusually large number of arguments over three days to hear five cases that were postponed from the November calendar following the Nov. 15 death of Chief Justice Mark Cady. Following are brief summaries of the December cases. Go to On Brief’s Cases in the Pipeline…

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Residential contractors must be licensed to represent homeowners with insurers

Homesteads exempt from mechanic’s lien foreclosure to collect legal fees, Iowa Supreme Court rules

Iowa Supreme Court to hear arguments Feb. 10 in a case of an emotional support dog versus a neighbor with allergies

Transformation of Iowa Supreme Court continues with Dana Oxley’s appointment

Iowa Supreme Court says its ruling on racial composition of juries does not apply retroactively

Iowa Supreme Court says its ruling on racial composition of juries does not apply retroactively

Iowa Supreme Court to hear oral arguments in eight appeals Jan. 22 and 23

Acting Chief Justice Wiggins to deliver State of the Judiciary speech to the Legislature Jan. 15

Statutory enforcement of workplace drug test violations the exclusive remedy, Iowa Supreme Court rules

Iowa Supreme Court set to begin three days of oral arguments Dec. 16.

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