Susan L. Christensen at a glance
- Current role
- Chief Justice
- Jurisdiction
- Iowa · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Susan L. Christensen
Chief Justice · Supreme Court of Iowa
Biography
Professional career
- Susan Larson Christensen is the Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court, appointed in 2018 and serving since February 2020
- 24, 2020 after the death of Chief Justice Mark Cady; re‐elected in 2025)
- District Judge, Iowa Fourth Judicial District (2015–2018)
- Her father, Jerry L. Larson, was a long‐serving Iowa Supreme Court justice (1978–2008), and her brother Jeffrey Larson is also a judge in the Iowa Fourth Judicial District
- Second woman to serve as Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court
- She also held the role of an assistant county attorney in Shelby, Harrison, and Crawford counties
Education
- J.D. cum laude from Creighton University School of Law in 1991
- Judson College
Additional information
- 1, 2018 by Governor Kim Reynolds)
- Before joining the judiciary, she practiced family law in Harlan for 16 years at Larson, Childs, Hall & Christensen (1991–2003) and as a sole practitioner (2003–2007).
- Born April 27, 1962, in Harlan, Iowa.
- Date of birth: 1962-04-27
- Continues to balance judicial duties with family life in her hometown
- She is a member of the Iowa State Bar Association, Southwest Iowa Bar Association, and Shelby County Bar Association
- Birth place: Harlan
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 Appellate Procedure, official September 30, 2026 collection
Supreme Court of Iowa
Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals proceedings only. 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 August 22, 2026.
Biography sources checked August 2, 2026.
Iowa Judicial Branch official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 22, 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 ↗