District court, Judicial District 8
Shawn R. Showers
Chief Judge · District 8A
About
Judge Showers was appointed to the Iowa District Court in November 2016. Judge Showers was born in Leon, Iowa, and grew up on farms in Lucas and Wayne counties. He graduated from Mormon Trail Community High School in 2000 and the University of Iowa in 2004. He received his law…
Retention votes
| Election | Yes | No | Kept by |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 5, 2024 | 37,274 | 14,920 | 71.4% 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
92.5% of 53 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 | 4.5 |
| On time for court | 4.7 |
| Listens to arguments and testimony | 4.6 |
| Runs the courtroom well | 4.5 |
| Temperament and manner | 4.6 |
| Clear, well-written decisions | 4.3 |
| Rules promptly | 4.6 |
| Uses technology to improve the courts | 4.5 |
| Avoids needless personal criticism | 4.6 |
| Decides on the law and facts, not outside pressure | 4.5 |
| Courteous and patient | 4.7 |
| Treats people equally | 4.7 |
| Fair to people without a lawyer | 4.6 |
| Said to keep the judge | 92.5% |
| Lawyers responding | 53 |
Source: Iowa State Bar Association Judicial Performance Review: 2024 (page 39).
Appeals from this judge’s cases
3 appeals on record; 1 reversed or vacated at least in part.4
- Criminal appeal No. 23-1122AI summary The defendant appealed his sentence of life in prison with a requirement to serve at least thirty-five years after pleading guilty to first-degree murder as a juvenile. He argued that the court should not have imposed a mandatory minimum sentence on a juvenile…
- Criminal appeal No. 22-1507AI summary The defendant challenged his prison sentence, arguing that the judge acted improperly by considering the timing of parole when deciding the length of the sentence. The court affirmed the original decision, meaning the sentence remains unchanged. This means the…
- Rita McNeal and Cliff McNeal v. Wapello County and Wapello County Board of SupervisorsAI summary The landowners sued the county for allegedly breaking a settlement agreement regarding the removal of old vehicles from their property. While a lower appeals court initially ruled in favor of the landowners, the Iowa Supreme Court overturned that decision and …