Susan Christensen

Susan Larson Christensen[1] (born April 27, 1962) is the chief justice of the Iowa Supreme Court.

Susan Christensen
Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court
Assumed office
February 24, 2020
Preceded byDavid Wiggins (Acting)
Associate Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court
Assumed office
September 21, 2018
Appointed byKim Reynolds
Preceded byBruce B. Zager
Personal details
Born (1962-04-27) April 27, 1962
Harlan, Iowa, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationJudson University (BA)
Creighton University (JD)

Education

Christensen received an undergraduate degree in psychology from Judson University, where she was valedictorian and graduated with highest honors. She then received a Juris Doctor degree cum laude from Creighton University School of Law.[2]

She practiced law in Harlan, Iowa at the firm Larson, Childs, Hall & Christensen from 1991 to 2003, specializing in family law.[3] She then worked as a sole practitioner specializing in family law from 2003 to 2007. She was also a prosecutor, working as an assistant county attorney for Shelby County from 1991 to 2007, for Harrison County from 1996 to 2007, and for Crawford County in 2007.[2]

State court service

Christensen was an associate judge for the Iowa Fourth Judicial District from 2007 to 2015 then a district judge for the same district from 2015 until her appointment to the Iowa Supreme Court.[3][4][2]

Appointment to Iowa Supreme Court

Christensen was one of three finalists sent to the Governor for consideration after the retirement of Bruce B. Zager.[5] In August 2018 Governor Kim Reynolds appointed Christensen to the Iowa Supreme Court.[6] On September 21, 2018, she was sworn into office.[7] Christensen is Reynolds' first appointment to the Iowa Supreme Court.[8] She became the first female since 2011 and the third female overall to join the court.[8]

On February 24, 2020, she was selected to be the chief justice of the Iowa Supreme Court, following the death of Mark Cady.[9]

Personal life

Christensen was born and raised in Harlan, Iowa where her husband Jay serves as mayor.[3] Her father was former justice Jerry L. Larson who served on the Iowa Supreme Court from 1978 to 2008.[8] Her brother Jeffrey Larson is a judge of the Iowa Fourth Judicial District.[10] She is a registered Republican.[3]

References
  1. "Susan Christensen sworn in as Iowa's newest Supreme Court justice". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  2. "Iowa Judicial Branch: Application for Supreme Court Justice position" (PDF).
  3. "Gov. Kim Reynolds names district court judge to Iowa Supreme Court". Des Moines Register. 2018-08-01. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
  4. Glueck, Kevin; Cummings, Caroline (2018-08-01). "Susan Christensen appointed to Iowa Supreme Court". KTVO. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
  5. "Here are the three finalists for the open Iowa Supreme Court seat". Des Moines Register. 2018-07-10. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
  6. "Gov. Reynolds selects Susan Christensen as Supreme Court justice". governor.iowa.gov (Press release). Retrieved 2018-09-30.
  7. "Justice Christensen Investiture September 21, 2018". 2018-09-04. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
  8. "Reynolds names rural judge to Iowa Supreme Court Susan Christensen becomes first woman on the court since 2011". The Gazette. 2018-08-01. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
  9. Sahouri, Andrea May (February 24, 2020). "Susan Christensen named chief justice of Iowa Supreme Court". Des Moines Register. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  10. "Christensen takes oath of office". Harlan Tribune. January 19, 2016.


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