District court, Judicial District 5
Paul Scott
District Court Judge · District 5C · Polk County
About
Judge Scott, Polk County, was appointed to the bench in 2014. He received his undergraduate degree from Drake University in 1984 and his law degree from Drake University Law School in 1987. Prior to taking the bench, he was in private practice. Judge Scott practiced in the State and Federal…
Retention votes
| Election | Yes | No | Kept by |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 8, 2022 | 75,097 | 38,161 | 66.3% 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
95% of 146 responding lawyers said to keep the judge (2022).
| Question | 2022 |
|---|---|
| Knowledge and use of the law | 4.52 |
| Sees the facts of a case clearly | 4.53 |
| On time for court | 4.70 |
| Listens to arguments and testimony | 4.60 |
| Runs the courtroom well | 4.73 |
| Temperament and manner | 4.71 |
| Clear, well-written decisions | 4.57 |
| Rules promptly | 4.54 |
| Uses technology to improve the courts | 4.66 |
| Avoids needless personal criticism | 4.66 |
| Decides on the law and facts, not outside pressure | 4.66 |
| Courteous and patient | 4.74 |
| Treats people equally | 4.71 |
| Fair to people without a lawyer | 4.73 |
| Said to keep the judge | 95% |
| Lawyers responding | 146 |
Source: Iowa State Bar Association Judicial Performance Review: 2022 (page 35).
Appeals from this judge’s cases
3 appeals on record; 1 reversed or vacated at least in part.4
- Criminal appeal No. 25-1668
- Criminal appeal No. 25-0821AI summary The State appealed a decision to dismiss a human trafficking charge against a defendant. The dispute centered on whether the facts presented met the legal definition of attempting to purchase a person under Iowa law. The court affirmed the lower court's decisi…
- Matthew Lewis Hunter v. City of Des Moines, Iowa; and Des Moines Police Bargaining Unit, Jane Doe No. 1, John Doe No. 2, John Doe No. 3, Joh…AI summary A former police sergeant sued the City of Des Moines for disability discrimination and failure to provide reasonable accommodations. The court affirmed a decision to overturn a large jury award because an incorrect instruction given to the jury affected the di…