District court, Judicial District 6
Lars G. Anderson
Chief Judge · District 6
About
Judge Anderson was appointed to the bench in July 2014. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Luther College in 1992 and his law degree, with distinction, from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1995. Prior to being appointed to the bench, he was in private practice in Iowa City…
Retention votes
| Election | Yes | No | Kept by |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 8, 2022 | 87,412 | 36,311 | 70.7% 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
96% of 146 responding lawyers said to keep the judge (2022).
| Question | 2022 |
|---|---|
| Knowledge and use of the law | 4.60 |
| Sees the facts of a case clearly | 4.54 |
| On time for court | 4.73 |
| Listens to arguments and testimony | 4.73 |
| Runs the courtroom well | 4.67 |
| Temperament and manner | 4.67 |
| Clear, well-written decisions | 4.50 |
| Rules promptly | 4.57 |
| Uses technology to improve the courts | 4.65 |
| Avoids needless personal criticism | 4.64 |
| Decides on the law and facts, not outside pressure | 4.56 |
| Courteous and patient | 4.60 |
| Treats people equally | 4.72 |
| Fair to people without a lawyer | 4.66 |
| Said to keep the judge | 96% |
| Lawyers responding | 146 |
Source: Iowa State Bar Association Judicial Performance Review: 2022 (page 37).
Appeals from this judge’s cases
1 appeal on record; 1 reversed or vacated at least in part.4
- Criminal appeal No. 23-0568AI summary A person sued the state for legal malpractice after a public defender represented them in a criminal case, and a jury awarded them damages for emotional distress. The state appealed the decision, arguing that the person did not prove the attorney acted imprope…