District court, Judicial District 2
Adria Kester
Judge · District 2B
About
Judge Kester was appointed to the district court in July of 2017. She earned her bachelor's degree from Iowa State University in 1994, and her law degree from Drake University School of Law in 1998. Judge Kester was an Assistant Public Defender, in private practice for six years, the Assistant Boone…
Retention votes
| Election | Yes | No | Kept by |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 5, 2024 | 72,488 | 29,177 | 71.3% yes |
What lawyers said
Before each retention vote, the Iowa State Bar Association asks lawyers who’ve appeared before the judge to rate them from 1 (very poor) to 5 (excellent), and whether the judge should be kept.3
82.3% of 62 responding lawyers said to keep the judge (2024).
| Question | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Knowledge and use of the law | 4.3 |
| Sees the facts of a case clearly | 4.2 |
| On time for court | 4.5 |
| Listens to arguments and testimony | 4.3 |
| Runs the courtroom well | 4.3 |
| Temperament and manner | 4.0 |
| Clear, well-written decisions | 4.3 |
| Rules promptly | 4.4 |
| Uses technology to improve the courts | 4.4 |
| Avoids needless personal criticism | 4.1 |
| Decides on the law and facts, not outside pressure | 4.3 |
| Courteous and patient | 4.1 |
| Treats people equally | 4.3 |
| Fair to people without a lawyer | 4.4 |
| Said to keep the judge | 82.3% |
| Lawyers responding | 62 |
Source: Iowa State Bar Association Judicial Performance Review: 2024 (page 30).
Appeals from this judge’s cases
1 appeal on record; 1 reversed or vacated at least in part.4
- Katherine Abigail Hill v. City of Carroll, Iowa, Carroll Police Department, Jeffrey Nichols, Individually and in his Official Capacity as Of…AI summary A person appealed a lower court's decision regarding claims of assault, invasion of privacy, trespass, and an action on a bond. The court decided that the assault and invasion of privacy claims should proceed to trial, while the other two claims were dismissed…