Iowa Supreme Court · No. 24-2031
Amanda Cooke v. Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
Decided February 13, 2026 · appeal from Polk County · Government
What the court decided
AI summary The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services appealed a decision that had overturned a finding of child abuse regarding a failure to provide adequate supervision. The dispute centered on how to apply the legal standard for what a reasonable person would do in similar circumstances. The court reversed the previous order, reinstating the original assessment.1
Result: Reversed
The court’s own summary
Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) appeals a judicial review order reversing a founded child abuse assessment against Amanda Cooke for failing to provide adequate supervision. The parties dispute how to apply the “reasonable and prudent person under similar facts and circumstances” standard in Iowa Code section 232.68(2)(a)(4)(b).
Holding: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services appeals a judicial review order reversing a founded child abuse assessment under Iowa Code section 232.68(2)(a)(4)(b). Reversed.
Judges
- Written by Justice Dana Oxley
- Trial judge: Jeanie K. Vaudt, Polk County
Iowa Code it cites
§17A.19§232.68§232.71D§235A.14§237A.3A
Each links to the bills that change that chapter.