Stephen Locher nominated for federal judgeship

VAN BUREN COUNTY — On Wednesday, the White House announced Judge Stephen Locher has been nominated to serve on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.

In February, Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) recommended Locher for the position following an extensive review by the Judicial Selection Commission.

“Judge Locher has diverse legal experience and glowing credentials,” Grassley said following today’s announcement. “I urge Democrat leadership to move his nomination forward without delay, and I appreciate the work of the commissioners who unanimously supported Judge Locher.

“The long hours the commissioners put into such a thorough review and careful consideration of each applicant are a testament to their commitment to ensuring we have the most qualified judges in our federal courts in Iowa.”

“Judge Locher is an experienced and qualified choice for this important position,” Ernst said. “I’m grateful for the hard work of all the members of the Commission for diligently reviewing each of the candidates for consideration.”

Locher is a U.S. magistrate judge for the Southern District of Iowa. Previously, he practiced law at Belin McCormick, P.C. in Des Moines, where he worked on both civil and criminal cases, and represented defendants, plaintiffs and crime victims alike. He also served as the firm’s ethics counsel.

The Judicial Selection Commission, launched by Grassley and Ernst in December, was comprised of highly-qualified members of the Iowa legal community and led by Cynthia Moser, a former Iowa State Bar Association president. The commission also included Richard Sapp, Jeffrey Goodman, Harlan D. Hockenberg and Adam Freed.

Last year, Grassley and Ernst welcomed applications from any interested candidate in Iowa’s legal community. The commission spent hundreds of hours reviewing and interviewing all applicants.

These reviews included a thorough study and examination of the applicants’ professional history, credentials and qualifications. Following the commission’s unanimous support for Locher, Grassley and Ernst forwarded their recommendation to the White House for the upcoming vacancy.