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Government

Iowa Supreme Court Meets in Muscatine

Iowa Supreme Court

The Iowa Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Muscatine Tuesday night. Justices do most of their work in Des Moines, but for the 9th year they'll hear several cases in other cities. 

Spokesman Steve Davis says it's an opportunity for state residents to see in person how the court operates, and how different it is from trial courts.

"Trial courts will have witnesses, they'll have evidence, and with the supreme court oral arguments, it's two attorneys arguing legal facts of the case and being asked questions by the justices of the supreme court."

This will be the 30th time the court has heard a case away from Des Moines, dating back to 2011. And it involves a fatal shooting in downtown Iowa City in 2017 - Lamar Wilson was sentenced to 24 years, but says he was justified in using deadly force to defend himself.

Davis says the hearing begins at 7 pm Tuesday in Muscatine High School, starting with a brief introduction by the chief justice, followed by arguments by both sides, and questions from the court. Justices will also talk to high school and college students in the area, Tuesday and Wednesday. 

Additional stops by the Iowa Supreme Court in the coming year include North High School in Des Moines, the University of Iowa, and Oskaloosa High School. 

A native of Detroit, Herb Trix began his radio career as a country-western disc jockey in Roswell, New Mexico (“KRSY, your superkicker in the Pecos Valley”), in 1978. After a stint at an oldies station in Topeka, Kansas (imagine getting paid to play “Louie Louie” and “Great Balls of Fire”), he wormed his way into news, first in Topeka, and then in Freeport Illinois.