Richard H. Davidson at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Jurisdiction
- Iowa · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Richard H. Davidson
Biography
Professional career
- He also held the role of Page County Attorney from 2001 to 2009, gaining extensive experience in public service and local legal matters
- After law school, he began his legal career as a trial attorney for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in Washington, D.C., serving until May 1986.
Education
- Bachelor of Arts degree in 1981 and a Juris Doctorate in 1984 from Drake University.
Additional information
- He was retained in the 2010 general election with 56.83% of the vote and again in 2016 with 65.77% of the vote.
- Joined the Iowa District Court for the 4th Judicial District in 2009, which covers Audubon, Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, and Shelby counties.
- In 1991, Davidson returned to Clarinda, Iowa, and joined Bailey & Davidson, which later became the Davidson Law Firm.
- He then joined the law firm Wright & Talisman in June 1986, where he practiced until 1991
- His career reflects a combination of private practice, public service, and judicial leadership
- Judge Davidson is a member of the Iowa State Bar Association and the Iowa Judges Association, reflecting his active engagement in the professional legal community
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Recording and broadcasting
Statewide
Iowa prohibits broadcasting, recording, photographing, texting, blogging, or tweeting real-time courtroom coverage unless the presiding judicial officer permits it in advance.
prohibited unless the presiding judicial officer expressly permits coverage in advanceIowa Judicial Branch: Expanded News Media Coverage ↗
Presiding Judge Discretion
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.
The judge shall allow expanded news media coverage unless the judge concludesIowa Judicial Branch: Expanded News Media Coverage ↗
Electronic Devices For Media
Statewide
Iowa Chapter 25 requires approval before using electronic devices for photography, video recording, audio recording, or streaming video in a courtroom.
Electronic devices for photography, video recording, audio recording, or streaming video may not be usedChapter 25 Rules for Expanded News Media Coverage ↗
Published courtroom rules
Shared court rules
Iowa Rules of Civil Procedure, official September 30, 2026 collection
Iowa Judicial District 4 District Court
Civil proceedings in Iowa District Courts; specialized proceedings and statutory exceptions remain applicable. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-10-27Sources
Identity source checked July 26, 2026.
Biography sources checked July 26, 2026.
Iowa Judicial Branch official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Iowa Judicial Branch official judicial roster ↗Iowa Judicial Branch: Expanded News Media Coverage
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Iowa Judicial Branch: Expanded News Media Coverage ↗Chapter 25 Rules for Expanded News Media Coverage
Statewide source · PDF · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Chapter 25 Rules for Expanded News Media Coverage ↗