Home Local News IOWA SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS COURTHOUSE WEAPONS BAN

IOWA SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS COURTHOUSE WEAPONS BAN

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The Iowa Supreme Court has issued a statewide order prohibiting weapons in courthouses and other public areas used by the state court system.

Chief Justice Mark Cady says the order released Tuesday bans visitors from carrying weapons into any area of a courthouse.

Woodbury County Sheriff Dave Drew is in charge of security at the county courthouse buildings in Sioux City, and says he applauds the decision:


OC………justice to prevail. ;19

Woodbury County’s Courthouse is one of ten in the state with an airport-like metal detector at the entrance.

The Sheriff says security can now be expanded at the Trosper Hoyt Building where Juvenile Court and the County Treasurer are located:


OC………..ruling is there. :18

The order does not affect peace officers.

Woodbury County District Court Administrator Leesa McNeil says court staff and the public can now be reassured about their safety when they are in the facility:


OC…….safe places to be. :21

The order requires the chief judge in each judicial district to work with local officials to carry out the order in each of Iowa’s 99 counties, but does not specify how weapons would be detected.

The court says 27 Iowa counties have no known courthouse weapons ban.