District court, Judicial District 4
Craig M. Dreismeier
Chief Judge · District 4
About
Judge Craig M. Dreismeier was appointed as District Court Judge on October 19, 2018. Prior to his appointment, he served as a District Associate Judge commencing on December 30, 2010. On July 2, 2024, following the retirement of Chief Judge Jeffrey Larson, he was selected as the Chief Judge of the Fourth Judicial District…
Retention votes
| Election | Yes | No | Kept by |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 3, 2026 | 32,934 | 15,946 | 67.4% 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
100% of 70 responding lawyers said to keep the judge (2026).
| Question | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Knowledge and use of the law | 4.9 |
| Sees the facts of a case clearly | 4.8 |
| On time for court | 4.9 |
| Listens to arguments and testimony | 4.9 |
| Runs the courtroom well | 4.9 |
| Temperament and manner | 4.8 |
| Clear, well-written decisions | 4.8 |
| Rules promptly | 4.8 |
| Uses technology to improve the courts | 4.8 |
| Avoids needless personal criticism | 4.8 |
| Decides on the law and facts, not outside pressure | 4.9 |
| Courteous and patient | 4.8 |
| Treats people equally | 4.9 |
| Fair to people without a lawyer | 4.8 |
| Said to keep the judge | 100% |
| Lawyers responding | 70 |
Source: Iowa State Bar Association Judicial Performance Review: 2026 (page 38).
Appeals from this judge’s cases
1 appeal on record; 0 reversed or vacated at least in part.4
- Kelly Brodie, Dr. John Heffron, Katherine King, Dr. Michael Langenfeld, Katherine Rall and Jamie Shaw v. Jerry R. Foxhoven, Richard Shults, …AI summary Several employees sued their employer, claiming they were wrongfully fired for trying to protect residents from abuse and mistreatment. The court upheld a lower court's decision to dismiss the employees' claims. This means the employees were not permitted to m…