Thomas G. Reidel at a glance
- Current role
- District Court Judge
- Jurisdiction
- Iowa · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Thomas G. Reidel
District Court Judge · Iowa Judicial District 7 District Court
Biography
Professional career
- Thomas G. Reidel is a judge of the Iowa 7th Judicial District Court, appointed in 2011 and re‐elected in 2012, serving in Cedar, Clinton, Jackson, Muscatine, and Scott counties
Education
Additional information
- He was retained in the 2012 general election, winning 75.98% of the vote.
- Appointed by former Iowa Governor Chester J. Culver in January 2011 to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge J. Hobart Darbyshire.
- Before joining the bench, Reidel held the role of Muscatine County Magistrate from 2009 to 2011.
- Practiced law in Muscatine, Iowa, from 1992 to 2011.
- Past chairman of the Muscatine County Civil Service Commission and has been active in multiple nonprofit organizations Iowa Judicial Branch
- Reidel is a past recipient of the Iowa Golden Seal Award for his dedication to ending domestic violence
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 7 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 ↗