John Alfred Jarvey

United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa district Retired 2022 · served 2007–2022 Appointed by George W. Bush (Republican) 20 signed orders read

Judge Jarvey no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.

How Judge Jarvey decides

Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

What persuades

Treats subject-matter jurisdiction as a true threshold question; alternative merits reasoning cannot carry preclusive force when the earlier court lacked jurisdiction.

“The question of jurisdiction is a threshold issue that must be decided prior to any determination on the merits of an action.”

Will enforce a negotiated forum-selection clause where the record does not show overreaching, an extreme bargaining imbalance, or conflict with governing public policy.

“The court finds the forum selection clause valid.”

Procedural preferences

Expects a summary-judgment opponent to answer numbered facts with record citations; failure to do so can result in the movant's factual assertions being treated as admitted.

“The failure to respond, with appropriate citations to the appendix, to an individual statement of material fact constitutes and admission of that fact.”

Separates requested remedies motion by motion, including cross-motions and alternative relief, rather than treating an omnibus order as a single result.

“For these reasons, Sprint’s Motion for Summary Judgment is DENIED and Windstream’s and the Iowa Utilities Board’s members’ Motions for Summary Judgment are GRANTED.”

Cautions

Temporal proximity alone is not enough to carry a retaliation claim through summary judgment when the record lacks additional evidence of causation.

“mere temporal proximity is not alone sufficient to raise a jury question with respect to causation.”

A party seeking to overturn a jury verdict faces a demanding burden; the court will not substitute its view where a reasonable jury could reach the challenged result.

“The Court will' not disturb such findings.”

Signed rulings

A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.

Pickrell v. Sorin Grp. USA, Inc.
· 2018-01-16
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted

“IT IS ORDERED that Defendant's Motion to Dismiss is GRANTED , and the case is hereby dismissed.”

Keokuk Glycerin, LLC v. Midwest Laboratories, Inc.
· 2016-03-10
Summary judgment (defendant) Granted in part

“summary judgment is granted against Mr. Rothgeb’s claims and denied against Keokuk’s.”

Sprint Communications Co. v. Bernsten
· 2015-12-30
Summary judgment (plaintiff) Denied

“For these reasons, Sprint’s Motion for Summary Judgment is DENIED and Windstream’s and the Iowa Utilities Board’s members’ Motions for Summary Judgment are GRANTED.”

Summary judgment (defendant Windstream) Granted
Summary judgment (defendant state officials) Granted
Salah v. Diamond Crystal Brands, Inc.
· 2016-07-28
Summary judgment (defendants) Granted

“IT IS ORDERED that Defendants’ motion for summary judgment is GRANTED.”

Rozo v. Principal Life Ins. Co.
· 2018-09-25
Summary judgment (defendant) Granted

“IT IS ORDERED that Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED as to Counts I, II, and III.”

Motion to exclude expert testimony (plaintiff) Denied

“IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Plaintiff's Motion to Exclude Opinions and Testimony of Craig Merrill, Defendant's Motion to Exclude Opinions and Testimony of Richard Kopcke, and Defendant's Motion to Decertify the Class are DENIED.”

Motion to exclude expert testimony (defendant) Denied
Motion to decertify class (defendant) Denied
Phoenix Insurance v. Infogroup, Inc.
· 2015-11-30
Summary judgment (defendant insured) Denied

“IT IS ORDERED that Defendant’s motion for summary judgment, pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56 is DENIED.”

Summary judgment (plaintiff insurer) Granted in part

“Plaintiffs motion for summary judgment is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part.”

Rfms, Inc. v. United States
· 2010-09-02
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Denied

“IT IS ORDERED that defendant’s motion to dismiss [Dkt. No. 2] is denied.”

Guyton v. Tyson Foods, Inc.
· 2013-04-02
Motion for judgment as matter of law or new trial (plaintiffs) Denied

“IT IS ORDERED that the Plaintiffs’ Motion for Judgment as a Matter of Law or, *1082In the Alternative, For a New Trial is DENIED.”

National Biodiesel Board v. Futurefuel Chemical Co.
· 2009-08-25
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Denied

“IT IS ORDERED that defendant FFCC’s motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction (Dkt. 7) is denied.”

United States v. Kepler
· 2011-05-31
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted

“That Defendant Jeffrey Scott Kepler’s Motion to Dismiss (Dkt. No. 18) is granted.”

United States v. West
· 2009-04-07
Motion to suppress (defendant) Granted

“IT IS SO ORDERED, that the defendant’s Motion to Suppress Evidence [Dkt. 57] is granted.”

Robinson v. Tyson Foods, Inc.
· 2008-11-12
Motion for conditional certification (plaintiffs) Granted

“IT IS ORDERED that plaintiffs’ motion for conditional certification of the following collective action is granted:”

A historical record

Judge Jarvey no longer hears cases. This profile stays available as a record of how they ruled. If you're preparing for a matter, start from the court's current bench.