United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa
16 judges profiled from their own signed orders: how each rules on motions, with the orders quoted. Court-wide standing orders ↓
Henry Thomas ReedDeceased
District judge, appointed by Theodore Roosevelt (Republican)
Charles Joseph Williams
District judge, appointed by Donald Trump (Republican)
George Cromwell ScottDeceased
District judge, appointed by Warren G. Harding (Republican)
Oliver Perry ShirasDeceased
District judge, appointed by Chester A. Arthur (Republican)
Henry Norman GravenDeceased
District judge, appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democratic)
Donald Eugene O'BrienDeceased
District judge, appointed by Jimmy Carter (Democratic)
William Cook HansonDeceased
District judge, appointed by John F. Kennedy (Democratic)
Michael Joseph MelloyElevated to Eighth Cir. 2002
District judge, appointed by George H. W. Bush (Republican)
David Rasmussen HansenElevated to Eighth Cir. 1991
District judge, appointed by Ronald Reagan (Republican)
Edward Joseph McManusDeceased
District judge, appointed by John F. Kennedy (Democratic)
Leonard Terry Strand
District judge, appointed by Barack Obama (Democratic)
Linda Rae ReadeSenior status
District judge, appointed by George W. Bush (Republican)
Mark A. Roberts
Magistrate judge
Kelly K.E. Mahoney
Magistrate judge
Mark Warren BennettRetired 2019
District judge, appointed by Bill Clinton (Democratic)
Jon Stuart ScolesLeft this court 2016
Magistrate judge
Standing orders for every case in this court
Orders the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa applies to all of its cases, whichever judge has them, as published on the court's website (checked October 9, 2026). Courts revise these, so confirm the current version before you file. The court's local rules ↗
Sealing
Continue to file sealed documents in CM/ECF, but expect parties to receive a placeholder instead of electronic access.
“Sealed documents will continue to be filed in the CM/ECF system under existing procedures, but they will not be accessible or viewable to the parties by electronic means.”
Sealing
Serve sealed documents by an appropriate method outside CM/ECF.
“service of those documents cannot be accomplished through the CM/ECF system. Therefore, parties must serve all sealed documents”
Sealing
A party entitled to a sealed document may request a paper copy from the clerk.
“a party with the right to access a sealed document in a case may request a paper copy by contacting the Clerk’s”