BIOGRAPHIES
Iowa Supreme Court Justices
Iowa Official Register 1927-1928

EVANS, William D. --Judge of the Supreme Court, was born in Marquette county, Wis. 1852. In 1858 he came with his parents to Williamsburg, Iowa. Here he attended the public schools. In 1873 he entered the state university. While a student at the university he taught school and was an instructor in a number of teachers' institutes during vacation. He graduated from the liberal arts course of the university in 1878 and the following year took the law course from which he graduated in 1879. Following his admittance to the bar in 1879, he located at Hampton. In 1902 he was elected judge of the district court for the eleventh judicial district. During the year 1907-8 he was law lecturer at the state university. In September, 1908, he was nominated for judge of the supreme curt by the republican state conventon to fill a vacancy occasioned by the death of Charles A. Bishop. He was elected at the general election and by reason of statute served as chief justice of the supreme court in 1909, 1916, 1921, 1922 and 1927. Was re-elected in 1910, again in 1916. He is a republican in politics.

ALBERT, Elma G. --Judge of the Supreme Court, was born June 5, 1866, near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; came to Iowa in 1870. Graduated from the law department of Drake University in June, 1891, and entered upon the practice of law. County attorney of Greene county, Iowa, for six years commencing January 1, 1900. District judge of the 16 judicial district from January 1, 1915, until elected to supreme bench in November, 1924.

DE GRAFF, Lawrence --Judge of the Supreme Court, was born at Apple River, Illinois, June , 1871. Educated at Morgan Park academy, Dixon College (A.B.) University of Chicago (Ph.D.), Northern Illinois college of law (LL.M.). Began the practice of law in Chicago, and removed to Des Moines in 1898 as secretary and instructor in the Highland Park college of law, and entered upon the practice in Des Moines with the firm of Miller, Wallingofrd and De Graff. First assistant attorney general of Iowa under Hon. Chas. W. Mullan, 1904-1907. County attorney, Polk county, Iowa, 1907-1910. District judge, ninth judicial district, 1910-1921. elected justice of the supreme court 1920; re-elected second term 1926. Married Grace L. Clark August 4, 1901; two children, Lawrence Jr., age 17, and Barbara, age 11. Author of several legal textbooks, Republican in Politics. Resides at 4920 Country Club boulevard, Des Moines, Iowa.

FAVILLE, Frederick F. --Judge of the Supreme Court, was born on a farm in Mitchell county, Iowa. He attended the public schools at Mitchell, Iowa, and later the Cedar Valley seminary at Osage, Iowa. He attended Iowa state college at Ames, from which he graduated with the degree of bachelor of science. He attended the law department of the university of Maryland at Baltimore and completed his course in law at the state university of Iowa in 1891. After being admitted to the bar, he bagan the practice of law at Sioux Rapids, Iowa, and moved from there to Storm Lake in 1895. He served two terms as county attorney of Buena Vista county. He was presidential elector from the eleventh congressional district in 1904. In 1907 he was appointed by President Roosevelt as United States attorney for the northern district of Iowa, and served in that office over six years. In 1918 he moved to Fort Dodge, Iowa, and continued the practice of law. In 1920 he was elected to the supreme bench, and re-elected in 1926. By reason of statute chief justice in 1925. Republican in politics.

MORLING, Edgar A. --Judge of the Supreme Court, was born at Boonville, New York, April 21, 1864. Graduated Albany Law school and admitted to the bar at Albany, New York, 1886. Practiced one year in New York state. From 1887 to 1889, engaged inlegal editorial work at St. Paul, Minnesota. Came to Emmetsburg, Iowa, in 1889, and has ever since resided there, engaged in the practice of law until appointed to office of justice supreme curt October 1, 1925 by Governor Hammill. Elected 1926 to fill balance of term of the late Justice Arthur. Married 1888 to Flora B. Tripp, who died October 6, 1920. Four children, William E. Morling (died October 29, 1926), Mrs. Ruth M. Shover, Max M. and Maynard A. Morling.

STEVENS, Truman S. --Judge of the Supreme Court, was born in Tama county, Iowa, in 1868. Attended the public schools, the Guthrie county high school; graduated from the law department of the state university and in 1892 located at Hamburg, Fremont county, where he still resides. Was appointed judge of the fifteenth judicial district February 1, 1917, and to the supreme court May, 1917. Was elected to said office in 1918 and re-elected in 1922. Has held no other public office except that of county attorney of Fremont county for one term. Was married in 1893 to Miss Cora Patterson. They had one daughter born to them, Velma, who died December 14, 1910, at the age of thirteen.

VERMILION, Charles W. --Judge of the Supreme Court, was born at Centerville, Iowa, November 6, 1866, son of the late W.F. Vermilion and Mary A.C. (Kemper) Vermilion. Married Clara Eloise Biddle June 2, 1897. Attended De Pauw university, and graduated from the law department of the University of Michigan in 1889. Upon graduation, entered the practice at Centerville, with his father. Elected county attorney of Appanoose county in 1892, re-elected in 1894. Appointed to the district bench of the second judicial district by Governor Leslie M. Shaw January 1, 1902, to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Hon. T.M. Fee. Remained in that position until appointed by Governor Nathan E. Kendall, November 15, 1923, to fill the vacancy on the supreme curt caused by the death of Hon. Silas M. Weaver. Elected to fill the unexpired portion of that term in 1924. Re-elected for full term in 1926.

KINDIG, James W. --Judge of Supreme Court. Born at Welton, Clinton county, Iowa, December 3, 1879. Moved to Woodbury county with his parents in March, 1887, and attended the public schools. Graduated from Morningside Academy in 1902, and received the degree of A.B. from Morningside college in 1906, and the degree of LL.B. from the University of Washington in 1907. Entered the practice of law at Sioux City in June, 1907. Was assistant county attorney of Woodbury county and advisor of the board of supervisors from January 1, 1915, until August 1, 1917. Was assistant attorney general of Iowa under Hon. H.M. Havner in 1917 and 1918, and then again entered the general practice of law in Sioux City. Was appointed justice of the supreme court April 19, 1927. Married Gertrude Crossan September 3, 1908. Has two children, Burdette and Lowell. Republican in politics.

Supreme Court of Iowa

Chief Justice:
William D. Evans, of Hampton, Franklin county, term expires December 31, 1928
Associate Justices:
Truman S. Stevens, of Hamburg, Fremont county, term expires December 31, 1928
Frederick F. Faville, of Fort Dodge, Webster county, term expires December 31, 1932
Lawrence De Graff, of Des Moines, Polk cunty, term expires December 31, 1932
Charles W. Vermilion, of Centerville, Appanoose county, term expires December 31, 1932
Elma G. Albert, of Jefferson, Greene county, term expires December 31, 1930
Edgar A. Morling, of Emmetsburg, Palo Alto county, term expires December 31, 1930
James W. Kindig, of Sioux City, Woodbury county, term expires December 31, 1929
Clerk of Supreme Court:
Burgess W. Garrett, of Leon, Decatur county, term expires January, 1931 (photo - see state officers pg. 1)`
Deputy Clerk of Supreme Court:
Dutton Stahl, of Prescott, Adams county, term expires January, 1931

Reporter of Supreme Court & Code Editor:
Ulysses G. Whitney, of Sioux City, Woodbury county, born in Iowa. Term 4 yrs. Appointed by the Supreme court. Salary $4,500. Term expires January, 1931 (photo - see state officers pg. 1)
Deputy Reporter of Supreme Court:
Mary A. Reid, of Des Moines, Polk county

Bailiff of Supreme Court:
John Gordinier, Des Moines, Polk county

Organization - The supreme court consists of eight judges, five of whom constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but one alone may adjourn from day to day, or to a particular day, or until the next term. The judge whose term first expires is the chief justice, and so on in rotation, except when the terms of two of the justices expire at the same time the senior in age serves first as chief justice.

Jurisdiction - not transcribed
Terms - not transcribed
Appeals in Civil cases - not transcribed
Appeal in Criminal cases - not transcribed

Salary - The salary of each justice is six thousand dollars ($6,000) a year, to be increased to $7,500 a year by act of the forty-first general assembly, applicable to judges elected or reelected after July 4, 1925. Each general assembly also appropriates sufficient funds for the payment of stenographers, bailiffs and such other incidental expenses as may be incurred by the court.

District Courts of Iowa

There are at the present time sixty-nine judges of the district court of the state of Iowa. The state is divided into 21 judicial districts and each district is entitled to from one to six judges, the number being fixed by statute. The judges are elected for terms of four years and receive an annual salary of $4,000; also actual and necessary hotel and living expenses not to exceed $3.00 per day when away from home, and transportation expenses. Each judge appoints a shorthand reporter, who receives $10 per day for each day's attendance upon said court, and in case the per diem does not equal $2,400, then thecounty or counties composing the district make up the deficiency in proportion to the number of days ouf court held in such county or counties.

Judges and Reporters of the District Court

First District

Second District
Counties: Appanoose, Davis, Jefferson, Lucas, Monroe, Van Buren and Wapello

Third District
Counties: Adams, Clarke, Decatur, Ringgold, Taylor, Union and Wayne

Fourth District
Counties Woodbury and Monona

Fifth District
Counties: Adair, Dallas, Guthrie, Madison, Marion and Warren

Sixth District
Counties: Jasper, Keokuk, Mahaska, Poweshiek and Washington

Seventh District
Counties: Clinton, Jackson, Muscatine and Scott

Eighth District
Counties: Iowa and Johnson

Ninth District
Counties: Polk

Tenth District
Counties: Black Hawk, Buchanan, Delaware and Grundy

Eleventh District
Counties: Boone, Franklin, Hamilton, Hardin, Story, Webster and Wright

Twelfth District
Counties: Bremer, Butler, Floyd, Cerro Gordo, Hancock, Mitchell, Winnebago and Worth

Thirteenth District
Counties: Allamakee, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek

Fourteenth District
Counties: Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Humboldt, Kossuth, Palo Alto and Pocahontas

Fifteenth District
Counties: Audubon, Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie and Shelby

Sixteenth District
Counties: Calhoun, Carroll, Crawford, Greene, Ida and Sac

Seventeenth District
Counties: Benton, Marshall, Tama

Eighteenth District
Counties: Cedar, Jones and Linn

Nineteenth District
Counties: Dubuque

Twentieth District
Counties: Des Moines and Louisa

Twenty-First District
Counties: Cherokee, Lyon, O'Brien, Osceola, Plymouth and Sioux

Municipal Courts

(abstracted)
Any city having a population of five thousand or more ... may establish a municipal court. The salary of municipal court judge is $3,000 in cities with population less than 30,000; $3,400 with population between 30,000 and less than 75,000; $3,600 with population 75,000 or over. Compensation of court reporter is fixed by the judge at not to exceed $8.00 per day. Salary of clerk is $1,800; $2,200 and $2,600 according to population of the city as above indicated. Municipal courts have concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in all civil matters where the amount in controversy does not exceed $1,000, except in probate matters, actions for dovorce, alimony, separate maintenance, directly affecting title to real estate, and juvenile proceedings unless otherwise authorized. (remainder not transcribed)

Superior Courts

(abstracted)
The statutes provide that any city containing 4,000 inhabitants, may establish a superior court. There are at present 6 such courts..... The judges are elected for terms of 4 years and receive an annual salary of $2,000 in cities up to 25,000 population; $3,000 in cities of 25,000 to 40,000; and $3,750 in cities of 40,000 or more. The judges appoint a shorthand reporter, whos compensation is not more than $8.00/day. (remainder not transcribed)

Home to Iowa History Project | Iowa Register 1927-1928 Contents