District court, Judicial District 2
Stephen A. Owen
District Associate Judge · District 2B
About
- Next on the ballot: November 2032, in District 2B1
Judge Owen is an Iowa native, United States Army veteran, husband, and father. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Iowa State University and a Juris Doctor degree from Drake University. Prior to his appointment as a judge, he practiced law from offices in Central Iowa. Judge Owen has…
Retention votes
| Election | Yes | No | Kept by |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 3, 2026 | 58,681 | 23,715 | 71.2% 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.2
82% of 61 responding lawyers said to keep the judge (2026).
| Question | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Knowledge and use of the law | 4.0 |
| Sees the facts of a case clearly | 3.9 |
| On time for court | 4.4 |
| Listens to arguments and testimony | 4.4 |
| Runs the courtroom well | 4.4 |
| Temperament and manner | 4.1 |
| Clear, well-written decisions | 4.0 |
| Rules promptly | 4.3 |
| Uses technology to improve the courts | 4.3 |
| Avoids needless personal criticism | 4.0 |
| Decides on the law and facts, not outside pressure | 3.8 |
| Courteous and patient | 4.3 |
| Treats people equally | 4.4 |
| Fair to people without a lawyer | 4.4 |
| Said to keep the judge | 82% |
| Lawyers responding | 61 |
Source: Iowa State Bar Association Judicial Performance Review: 2026 (page 35).
Appeals from this judge’s cases
5 appeals on record; 4 reversed or vacated at least in part.3
- Theron M. Christensen v. Iowa District Court For Story CountyAI summary A prosecutor challenged a court order that required them to pay a fine for their conduct during a criminal case. The court ruled in favor of the prosecutor. This means the monetary sanctions against the prosecutor were overturned.
- Criminal appeal No. 22-1144AI summary The defendant challenged her criminal sentence and a no contact order after pleading guilty to two counts of assault. The court partially affirmed the previous decision but vacated parts of the judgment. The case is being sent back to the lower court to be rec…
- Criminal appeal No. 22-0903AI summary The defendant challenged a ruling that his harassment conviction was sexually motivated because of a video he posted online. This classification would have required him to register as a sex offender. The court partially reversed the lower court's judgment rega…
- Criminal appeal No. 22-1530AI summary The dispute was about whether law enforcement violated a person's rights by obtaining a search warrant for a breath test instead of using implied consent laws. The court decided that using a warrant in this situation violated the person's due process and equal…
- Criminal appeal No. 22-1531AI summary The dispute concerned whether law enforcement violated a person's constitutional rights by obtaining a search warrant for blood test results instead of using implied consent laws. The court reversed a lower court's decision regarding the suppression of the blo…