Chief Justice will address gay marriage ruling

The Iowa Supreme Court issued a written statement this afternoon, outlining the topics Chief Justice Mark Cady will cover in his “Condition of the Judiciary” message tomorrow.  It’s now clear Cady will address the elephant in the room rather than ignore it.

Here’s the statement from the Iowa Supreme Court:

On Wednesday, January 12, 2011, at 10 a.m. in the Iowa House of Representatives, Chief Justice Mark Cady of the Iowa Supreme Court will address a joint convention of the General Assembly on the State of the Judiciary.

 In his first public appearance since his election as chief justice, Chief Justice Cady will assess the condition of Iowa’s court system. He will discuss the serious decline of Iowans’ access to justice, which was the focus of the 2010 State of the Judiciary Message. This decline is the result of the past decade of deep state budget cuts coupled with the public’s growing demands for court services. Chief Justice Cady will explain how access to justice continues to erode.  Chief Justice Cady will also address certain aspects of the continuing public debate triggered by the supreme court’s 2009 decision in Varnum v. Brien. He will discuss and defend Iowa’s merit system for selecting judges. In addition, he will discuss the constitutional role of courts. Chief Justice Cady hopes his remarks will help promote a greater understanding of the courts and their important role in maintaining our democracy.  

Live audio of the speech will be streamed on the Judicial Branch website at www.iowacourts.gov beginning at 10 a.m. The speech will also be broadcast live on Iowa Public Television Channel 11.3 and rebroadcast at 9:30 p.m. on IPTV Channel 11.