Marsha Ternus
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Marsha Ternus is the Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court. She has served on the court since 1993; the members of the court selected her as chief justice in 2006. She is the first woman to serve as chief justice of Iowa's highest court. Her duties as Chief Justice include overseeing "the state's entire court system, with a budget of about $130 million". [1]
Her current term of office expires on December 31, 2010.
Ternus received her bachelor's degree with honors and high distinction, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of Iowa in 1972. She earned her law degree with honors, Order of the Coif, from Drake University Law School in 1977. While at Drake, she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Drake Law Review.
Legal background
Before joining the supreme court, Chief Justice Ternus worked in the private practice of law in the Des Moines firm of Bradshaw, Fowler, Proctor and Fairgrave. While in private practice, she served as president of the Polk County Bar Association, on the Board of Governors of the Iowa State Bar Association, on the Iowa Jury Instructions Committee, and on the Board of Directors of the Polk County Legal Aid Society. She also served as president of the Board of Counselors of Drake University Law School.[2]
Administrative efforts
In addition to her judicial duties, Chief Justice Ternus has worked on a number of court initiatives and other efforts to improve the administration of justice. She served as the judicial branch representative on the IOWAccess Advisory Council, on the judicial team that oversaw the design, development and construction of the Judicial Branch Building, on the steering committee of the Iowa Supreme Court Commission on Planning for the 21st Century and as co-chair of the commission's administration team. She also served on the Multi-State Performance Test Policy Committee of the National Conference of Bar Examiners.[2]
Salary
Judge Ternus was paid $170,850 in 2008, an amount set by the state legislature. [3]
Controversy
Underage drinking
On July 12, 2009, seven 19 year-olds were charged with underage possession of alcohol at the Ternus home. One of the youths cited for public intoxication and underage possession of alcohol was Robert Drake, Marsha Ternus' son. Her husband, Dennis Drake, was on the scene during the time of the citations and arrests, but denied any wrongdoing. Arresting officer Michael Hake charged Dennis Drake with interference with official acts "and for possible investigation of providing alcoholic beverages to persons under age".
Judge Ternus has declined to say where she was during the arrests. Court spokeswoman Rebecca Colton said that "it would be inappropriate for either the chief justice or me to comment on any pending cases, including any cases involving family members of a judge." [4]
External links
References
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The Iowa Project on Judgepedia
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