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Susan Christensen

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Susan Christensen
Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court
Assumed office
February 24, 2020
Preceded byDavid Wiggins (Acting)
Associate Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court
Assumed office
September 21, 2018
Appointed byKim Reynolds
Preceded byBruce B. Zager
Personal details
Born (1962-04-27) April 27, 1962 (age 64)
PartyRepublican
EducationJudson University (BA)
Creighton University (JD)

Susan Larson Christensen[1] (born April 27, 1962) is an American lawyer who has served as an associate justice of the Iowa Supreme Court since 2018 and as the chief justice since 2020.

Education

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Christensen received an undergraduate degree in psychology from Judson University, where she was valedictorian and graduated with highest honors. She then received a Juris Doctor degree cum laude from Creighton University School of Law.[2]

Career

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Christensen practiced law in Harlan, Iowa at the firm Larson, Childs, Hall & Christensen from 1991 to 2003, specializing in family law.[3] She then worked as a sole practitioner specializing in family law from 2003 to 2007. She was also a prosecutor, working as an assistant county attorney for Shelby County from 1991 to 2007, for Harrison County from 1996 to 2007, and for Crawford County in 2007.[2] She is a part of the Iowa State Bar Association.[4]

State court service

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Christensen was an associate judge for the Iowa Fourth Judicial District from 2007 to 2015 then a district judge for the same district from 2015 until her appointment to the Iowa Supreme Court.[3][5][2]

Appointment to Iowa Supreme Court

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Christensen was one of three finalists sent to the governor for consideration after the retirement of Justice Bruce B. Zager.[6] In August 2018 Governor Kim Reynolds appointed Christensen to the Iowa Supreme Court.[7] On September 21, 2018, she was sworn into office.[8] Christensen is Reynolds' first appointment to the Iowa Supreme Court.[9] She became the first female since 2011 and the third female overall to join the court.[9]

On February 24, 2020, she was selected to be the chief justice of the Iowa Supreme Court, following the death of Mark Cady.[10] In 2025, she was re-elected as Chief Justice.[11]

Personal life

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Christensen was born and raised in Harlan, Iowa where her husband Jay serves as mayor.[3] She has five children and eight grandchildren with Jay.[12] Her father was former justice Jerry L. Larson who served on the Iowa Supreme Court from 1978 to 2008.[9] Her brother Jeffrey Larson is a judge of the Iowa Fourth Judicial District.[13] She is a registered Republican.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "Susan Christensen sworn in as Iowa's newest Supreme Court justice". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Iowa Judicial Branch: Application for Supreme Court Justice position" (PDF).
  3. ^ a b c d "Gov. Kim Reynolds names district court judge to Iowa Supreme Court". Des Moines Register. August 1, 2018. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  4. ^ "Iowa Supreme Court Reselects Christensen as Chief Justice". iowacourts.gov. January 9, 2025. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
  5. ^ Glueck, Kevin; Cummings, Caroline (August 1, 2018). "Susan Christensen appointed to Iowa Supreme Court". KTVO. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  6. ^ "Here are the three finalists for the open Iowa Supreme Court seat". Des Moines Register. July 10, 2018. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  7. ^ "Gov. Reynolds selects Susan Christensen as Supreme Court justice". governor.iowa.gov (Press release). Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  8. ^ "Justice Christensen Investiture September 21, 2018". September 4, 2018. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  9. ^ a b c "Reynolds names rural judge to Iowa Supreme Court Susan Christensen becomes first woman on the court since 2011". The Gazette. August 1, 2018. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  10. ^ Sahouri, Andrea May (February 24, 2020). "Susan Christensen named chief justice of Iowa Supreme Court". Des Moines Register. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  11. ^ Hammer, Zach (January 10, 2025). "Harlan's Susan Larson Christensen Reappointed Chief Justice". Harland Insider. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
  12. ^ "Dad and brother went first; now she's the boss". Judges.org. July 20, 2023. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
  13. ^ "Christensen takes oath of office". Harlan Tribune. January 19, 2016.
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