John M. Sandy
IA · Judge, Iowa Court of Appeals
John M. Sandy has been a judge on the Iowa Court of Appeals since 2024, after three years as a district court judge. Before that, he ran a law firm in Spirit Lake and worked as a public defender in Minnesota.
Track record
Track record — General
General · 4 records
Wrote the Court of Appeals opinion in State v. Yost, a child sexual abuse case. The court reversed a ruling that had dismissed one charge and let prosecutors amend the charges.
April 9, 2025
Source: iowacourts.gov
Governor Kim Reynolds appointed him to the Iowa Court of Appeals. He replaced Judge Thomas Bower.
June 28, 2024
Source: governor.iowa.gov
Voters kept him as a District 3A judge in the 2022 retention vote, with 81.0% voting yes (29,541 yes to 6,944 no).
November 8, 2022
Source: sos.iowa.gov
Governor Kim Reynolds appointed him a district court judge for District 3A in northwest Iowa. He filled the seat of retiring Judge David Lester.
March 26, 2021
Source: northiowatoday.com
Track record — Legal Competence
Legal Competence · 1 favorable
In the Iowa State Bar Association's 2022 lawyer survey, 98% of the 56 lawyers who rated him said he should be kept as a judge.
October 6, 2022Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: iowabar.org
Past race John M. Sandy ran in:
- Shall John M. Sandy be retained in office as a Judge of the Court of Appeals? · November 3, 2026 · Iowa · incumbent