House Journal: Page 56: Wednesday, January 16, 2002
The Justices of the Supreme Court, the Chief Judge, the Judges of
the Court of Appeals and the District Court Chief Judges, were
escorted into the House chamber.
Mrs. Janis Lavorato, the wife of the Chief Justice; his sons,
Anthony and Dominick Lavorato and his friend Lori Wilson; his
stepdaughter, Jenna Green; his brother Charles and his wife Carolyn;
his sister-in-law, Delayne Johnson and her son Jacob Johnson; and
his brother-in-law Ed Busing were escorted into the House chamber.
The committee waited upon Governor Thomas J. Vilsack and
escorted him into the House chamber.
The committee waited upon Chief Justice Louis A. Lavorato and
escorted him to the Speaker's station.
President Kramer presented Chief Justice Louis A. Lavorato who
delivered the following Condition of the Judicial Branch Message:
Mr. Speaker, Madam President, Members of the General Assembly, Governor
Vilsack, distinguished guests, and friends.
Thank you for the kind invitation to appear before you today. It is an honor for the
Iowa Judicial Branch, as well as a personal privilege for me, to report to you on the
condition of Iowa’s court system. This address is our opportunity to share with you and
the people of Iowa our current assessment of the administration of justice in this state.
We have enjoyed a strong relationship with you based upon candor, cooperation, and
mutual respect. Today, I wish to address you in that spirit.
First, permit me to digress for a moment so that I may recognize some special
guests. I would like to acknowledge Justice Michael Streit, the newest member of the
Iowa Supreme Court, and Judge Larry Eisenhauer, the newest member of the Iowa
Court of Appeals.
This brings to me why we are here: the condition of Iowa’s judicial branch. This
year I must report that the state of the judiciary reflects the times in which we live;
events beyond our control have thrown us into a state of uncertainty about the future.
Access to justice is a paramount concern for us as we try to manage in the wake of the
recent budget cut.
I intend to begin with a review of the steps we took to balance our operating budget
and explain how we’re coping. Then I will proceed to discuss some recommendations
for streamlining the court system. I will conclude with our goals for the future.
© 2002 Cornell College and
League of Women Voters of Iowa
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Last update: Thu Jan 17 13:30:00 CST 2002
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