All Rise

Michael Jacobsen will now be working inside the courtroom from the other side of the bench.

Gov. Kim Reynolds appointed Jacobsen, the former Jasper County Attorney, to district court judge in Iowa’s Judicial District 5A in June, and now he’s getting used to holding the gavel.

Judge on the road

Judge Jacobsen began his appointment July 20. So far, his new role has him busy and traveling. He is not allowed to appear in front of any Jasper County Attorney’s Office case for one year due to conflict of interest, as Jacobsen was previously the Jasper County attorney.

Instead, Jacobsen is hearing cases in Marion, Warren, Madison, Dallas, Guthrie and Polk Counties.

“It’s just been busy,” Jacobsen said. “My time is a lot different now than it was then. We travel a lot. Monday, I drove two hours there and two hours back to the courthouse in Mount Ayr.”

Most of the cases Jacobsen has tried early in his judgeship have been straightforward, ranging from dissolution cases, such as divorces, to a couple of jury trials. Given his history arguing many jury trials as the county attorney, Jacobsen said he feels more comfortable with criminal cases.

So far, Jacobsen has yet to be tested with any issues that clash with his own personal beliefs and the law.

“(I’ve had) no real controversial issues that might strain personal thoughts with what the law is. It could happen someday,” Jacobsen said. “Most of the bigger, controversial issues you read about in the newspaper or see on TV are usually filed in Polk County District Court.

“As a judge, you have to keep an open mind,” Jacobsen added.

Raised to work hard

Jacobsen grew up in the small northwest Iowa town of Ireton just west of Le Mars. Jacobsen went to West Sioux High School in Hawarden and played football, basketball and baseball. He graduated in 1986.

After high school, Jacobsen went to South Dakota State University and earned a bachelor of science degree in history and political science in 1990, and he attended Drake University Law School in Des Moines, graduating in 1993.

That is when Jacobsen first came to Newton. He began with a small, private practice and participated with the Newton Chamber of Commerce. He earned the position of Jasper County Attorney in 1996 after running unopposed.

Jacobsen said he was raised with a hard work ethic with his farm work and in his sports, and that followed him throughout his collegiate life and career.

“I grew up on a small farm, south of Ireton. We raised pigs and had corn and soybeans,” Jacobsen said. “We attended a small church in a town called Craig. It was a Lutheran church, and my mom was the organist there.”

Off time

Jacobsen has found his new position time consuming, but he is still able to find free time. When he isn’t in court, Jacobsen goes to football games and spends time with his family when his three kids aren’t away at college.

“I have a nephew who (plays football at) the University of Northern Iowa. He’s a senior, and we try to get to several of his games,” Jacobsen said. “We’ve made a couple of games so far. We’ll probably make a few more. I like to go to games if I can find the time to go.”

Overall, Jacobsen is content examining the components of each case from both the perspective of attorney and as a judge.

“I find the cases interesting, having to make decisions that are different than what I had to make as the county attorney. These are different in that I get to listen to both sides,” Jacobsen said. “It’s rewarding to be able to hear from both sides and make a decision based upon what I can research to find out what the law is, and then apply those to the facts as I hear them in court.”

Contact Orrin Shawl at 641-792-3121 ext. 6533 or at oshawl@newtondailynews.com