--- title: "John Alfred Jarvey | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/john-alfred-jarvey-1620" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-02" --- # John Alfred Jarvey U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa · Judge ## Profile - Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa - State: Iowa - Role: Judge - Service status: former - Last verified: 2026-06-30 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Judge, District Court, S.D. Iowa, 2007-present - U.S. District Judge, Southern District of Iowa (2007–2022), nominated by President George W. Bush on January 9, 2007, confirmed by the Senate on March 8, 2007, and commissioned March 14, 2007 - Retired American federal judge who served on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa from 2007 to 2022, including as Chief Judge from 2015 to 2022 - Magistrate Judge, Northern District of Iowa (1987–2007), presiding over over 400 mediations - From 1983 to 1987, he was a trial attorney in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, specializing in pharmaceutical industry fraud cases - Law clerk, Hon. Donald E. O'Brien, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Iowa, 1981-1983 - After law school, he held the role of a law clerk to Judge Donald E. O’Brien of the Northern District of Iowa (1981–1983) - Law clerk, DOJ trial attorney, magistrate judge, district judge, Chief Judge ### Education - Drake University Law School in — J.D. (1981) - B.S. in Accounting from the University of Akron in 1978 - University of Akron Main Campus — B.S. (1978) - Duke University School of Law ### Additional information - U.S. Magistrate, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Iowa, 1987-2007 - Born September 14, 1956, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. - Date of birth: 1956-01-01 - overseeing major cases such as the Kent Sorenson bribery scandal - He also attended Concordia College. - He also taught trial advocacy at the University of Iowa College of Law and conducted mock trials in Iowa - His mediation work and trial experience earned him recognition for practical legal skills and judicial leadership - Birth place: Minneapolis, MN ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### recording photography streaming Scope: statewide Iowa prohibits broadcasting, recording, photographing, texting, blogging, or tweeting real-time courtroom coverage unless the presiding judicial officer permits it in advance. Evidence excerpt: prohibited unless the presiding judicial officer expressly permits coverage in advance [Iowa Judicial Branch: Expanded News Media Coverage](https://www.iowacourts.gov/newsroom/expanded-news-media-coverage) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### presiding judge discretion Scope: statewide Iowa's expanded news media coverage framework requires approval, but the judge should allow coverage unless it would materially interfere with protected interests or the proceeding. Evidence excerpt: The judge shall allow expanded news media coverage unless the judge concludes [Iowa Judicial Branch: Expanded News Media Coverage](https://www.iowacourts.gov/newsroom/expanded-news-media-coverage) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### electronic devices for media Scope: statewide Iowa Chapter 25 requires approval before using electronic devices for photography, video recording, audio recording, or streaming video in a courtroom. Evidence excerpt: Electronic devices for photography, video recording, audio recording, or streaming video may not be used [Chapter 25 Rules for Expanded News Media Coverage](https://www.iowacourts.gov/static/media/cms/25_2_44097B6A827DC.pdf) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1620/john-alfred-jarvey/) - [Official roster](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1620/john-alfred-jarvey/) - [U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa current judicial profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1620/john-alfred-jarvey/) - [Iowa Judicial Branch: Expanded News Media Coverage](https://www.iowacourts.gov/newsroom/expanded-news-media-coverage) - [Chapter 25 Rules for Expanded News Media Coverage](https://www.iowacourts.gov/static/media/cms/25_2_44097B6A827DC.pdf) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1620/john-alfred-jarvey/) - [Jarvey, John Alfred | Federal Judicial Center](https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/jarvey-john-alfred) - [John Alfred Jarvey (S.D. Iowa) – CourtListener.com](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1620/john-alfred-jarvey) - [Wikidata: John Alfred Jarvey](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6218680) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/john-alfred-jarvey-1620", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/john-alfred-jarvey-1620", "name": "John Alfred Jarvey | KnowJudges", "description": "John Alfred Jarvey, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. 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