District court, Judicial District 6
Chad A. Kepros
District Court Judge · District 6
About
Judge Kepros was appointed to the district court bench in February 2015. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Coe College in 1993 and his law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1996, with high honors. He worked as a private attorney and mediator in Iowa City…
Retention votes
| Election | Yes | No | Kept by |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 8, 2022 | 85,885 | 37,629 | 69.5% 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
84% of 148 responding lawyers said to keep the judge (2022).
| Question | 2022 |
|---|---|
| Knowledge and use of the law | 4.16 |
| Sees the facts of a case clearly | 4.10 |
| On time for court | 4.28 |
| Listens to arguments and testimony | 4.11 |
| Runs the courtroom well | 4.04 |
| Temperament and manner | 3.55 |
| Clear, well-written decisions | 4.36 |
| Rules promptly | 4.19 |
| Uses technology to improve the courts | 4.26 |
| Avoids needless personal criticism | 3.78 |
| Decides on the law and facts, not outside pressure | 4.10 |
| Courteous and patient | 3.66 |
| Treats people equally | 4.24 |
| Fair to people without a lawyer | 4.22 |
| Said to keep the judge | 84% |
| Lawyers responding | 148 |
Source: Iowa State Bar Association Judicial Performance Review: 2022 (page 37).
Appeals from this judge’s cases
4 appeals on record; 2 reversed or vacated at least in part.4
- Kevin Lamont Howard v. Johnson County Attorney and Iowa Department of RevenueAI summary A person challenged a decision by the Iowa Department of Revenue to take money from them to pay an old debt owed for victim restitution. The court upheld the lower court's decision to dismiss the challenge. This means the state was allowed to keep the money to…
- Antoine Smith v. City of Cedar RapidsAI summary A police officer sued the City of Cedar Rapids, claiming the city violated a law that protects the rights of public safety personnel by delaying the release of investigation results. The court upheld the lower court's decision to dismiss the lawsuit. This mean…
- Emilio Puente v. Civil Service Commission of Iowa CityAI summary A police officer challenged a decision made by a civil service committee, but the district court dismissed the case because it was filed using the wrong legal process. The court of appeals originally agreed with the dismissal, but the Iowa Supreme Court has no…
- The University of Iowa, Board of Regents, State of Iowa v. Modern Piping, Inc.AI summary A contractor sued the University for damages after a temporary injunction that had stopped an arbitration process was later dissolved. A jury awarded the contractor millions of dollars for unjust enrichment, which the University is now appealing. The court par…