Schilling to retire from bench in September

LEE COUNTY - The 8th Judicial District in southeast Iowa is announcing the impending retirement of Judge Michael Schilling after serving the district for more than 17 years.
The Bar and public are hereby notified that there will be a judicial vacancy as a result of Schilling's retirement effective, September 12, 2023. Schilling is serving as a Judge of the Eighth Judicial District, Sub-District 8B, which includes Des Moines, Henry, Lee, and Louisa Counties.  He was appointed to the district bench in 2006.
The District 8B Judicial Nominating Commission, comprised of five elected attorneys and five Governor-appointed citizens and the senior Judge in the District, received notice from the Governor of the vacancy on July 5, 2023, and will be interviewing candidates to replace Judge Schilling.
The Judicial Sub-District Nominating Commission for 8B met on July 13, 2023 to outline procedures and timelines to fill the vacancy.  Applications will be accepted from July 14, 2023 until July 31, 2023 at 4:30 p.m..  Any interested and eligible attorney (as defined by Sections 1 and 7 of 2022 Iowa Acts chapter 1033) is encouraged to apply. 
The following are the commission members: 
 Judge Michael Schilling , Darlys Baum,  Joel Bobb                                                                  Alta Cook, Kathie Grimm, Mike Roth, Josie Bainter Thomas, Sara Haas,   Edward Prill, Steven Sents, Reyna Wilkens.
The Judicial Nominating Commission has established procedures for filling the position of District Court Judge in Judicial District 8B and the Supreme Court of Iowa has adopted an application to be completed by each person who wishes to apply for nomination to be a District Court Judge. 
Copies of the application can be obtained from the District Court Administrator’s Office for the Eighth Judicial District, 333 North Court St., Ottumwa, IA  52501, by emailing cathy.reck@iowacourts.gov, by calling 1-641-684-6502, ext. 610, or by going to the Commission website at https://www.iowajnc.gov/district-commissions. 
Applicants are directed to send their completed applications and writing samples by email to cathy.reck@iowacourts.gov, by regular mail or personally deliver to the District Court Administrator’s Office for the Eighth Judicial District, 333 North Court St., Ottumwa, IA  52501. 
All applications must be received by the Court Administrator’s Office no later than 4:30 PM, July 31, 2023.    No late applications will be accepted.  The names of the applicants will be made available to the public AFTER the deadline for filing applications.
Applicants who wish to be considered for appointment to fill this vacancy shall complete an application as described above.  Applicants for this position must be members of the Iowa Bar, must be a resident of the Judicial Election District 8B or in a contiguous county to Judicial Election District 8B, but if nominated and before assuming office must be or otherwise remain a resident of Judicial Election District 8B during the entire term of office, and shall be of such age that they will be able to serve an initial and one regular term of office before reaching the age of seventy-two years.
All valid applications which meet the statutory requirements will be considered. However, if there are more applicants than can be effectively interviewed, the commission may elect to screen the applicants and interview less than all.  Applicants may not contact the commissioners for an interview prior to the scheduled interview date.  The selected applicants will be given an opportunity to appear before the entire Judicial Nominating Commission for a personal interview on August 4, 2023, at the Des Moines County Courthouse in Burlington, Iowa.  The applicants’ submissions and materials shall be open to the public.  Applicant interviews shall also be open to the public.  The public will be allowed to observe and listen but not interact.  Commission deliberations and voting will not be open to the public. 
Prior to the interviews, the public will be permitted to submit comments or recommendations regarding the qualifications of an applicant to the District Court Administrator’s Office for the Eighth Judicial District, 333 North Court St., Ottumwa, IA  52501 or by emailing cathy.reck@iowacourts.gov. 
The Commission will submit the names of two nominees to Governor Reynolds who will then have 30 days to appoint one to fill the vacancy.