State of Iowa v. Scott A. Belt

Decided October 2, 2026 · appeal from Pottawattamie County · Criminal

What the court decided

AI summary The State sought to remove a county supervisor from office after alleging the supervisor was intoxicated while performing official duties on several occasions. The district court ruled that the supervisor should be removed because the State proved intoxication occurred during one specific town hall meeting. The court affirmed this decision, meaning the supervisor will be removed from their position.¹

Result: District court judgment affirmed

The court’s own summary

The State filed a petition for the removal of Scott Belt from his position on the Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors (“Board”), alleging Mr. Belt had been intoxicated while acting in his official capacity on five occasions. After a two-day bench trial, the district court entered a judgment granting the State’s petition, finding the State proved intoxication on one of the five alleged occasions: a November 25, 2025 town hall meeting that the Board organized. The district court granted the State’s petition to remove Mr. Belt from office. On appeal, Mr. Belt argues the district court erred by: (1) failing to recognize and exercise discretion in its removal decision; (2) concluding a single instance of intoxication warranted removal; (3) ruling he was acting in his official capacity at the time of intoxication; and (4) finding he was intoxicated at the town hall meeting.

Holding: A member of the Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors appeals his removal from office for intoxication. District court judgment affirmed.

Read the opinion (PDF) · Case page on iowacourts.gov

Judges

Written by Chief Justice Susan Christensen
Trial judge: Roger L. Sailer, Pottawattamie County

Iowa Code it cites

§123.92 §66.13 §66.18 §66.1A §66.3 §66.7 §724.25 §724.26

Each links to the bills that change that chapter.