Meet Iowa's newest Supreme Court justice

Good morning.

Iowa has a new Supreme Court justice.

Gov. Kim Reynolds on Wednesday named Iowa Court of Appeals Judge David May to the state's highest court, her fifth appointment to the seven-member body since taking office.

May, 51, is a former district court judge who also worked for 14 years with the Des Moines firm Bradshaw, Fowler, Proctor & Fairgrave.

May is replacing Justice Brent Appel, who retired earlier this month after turning 72, the state's mandatory retirement age for judges. Appel was appointed by Democratic Gov. Tim Vilsack in 2006.

May's selection means all seven of the court's members have now been appointed by Republicans — either by Reynolds or her predecessor, Gov. Terry Branstad.

Reynolds praised May on Wednesday as standing out "for his experience, his approach to interpretation and his commitment to judicial restraint."

Meanwhile, her Democratic opponent in November's governor's race, Deidre DeJear, said the pick is another step in what she called a "dangerous trajectory" for the court, and "another effort by Reynolds and the GOP to pack the courts with justices who do not represent the whole of Iowa."

May's appointment comes on the heels of the state court's high-profile decision earlier in the summer to rule the state's constitution does not protect abortion as a fundamental right, overturning a 2018 decision.

My colleague Stephen Gruber-Miller and I have more on May's appointment below in today's newsletter.

This is statehouse reporter Ian Richardson. Have any questions or tips? You can reach me at irichardson@registermedia.com.

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This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Meet Iowa's newest Supreme Court justice