Daryl L. Hecht (June 25, 1952 – April 3, 2019) was a justice on the Iowa Supreme Court and president of Iowa Trial Lawyers Association.[1]

Daryl Hecht
Associate Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court
In office
September 6, 2006 – December 13, 2018
Appointed byTom Vilsack
Preceded byLouis A. Lavorato
Succeeded byChristopher McDonald
Personal details
BornJune 25, 1952
Lytton, Iowa
DiedApril 3, 2019 (aged 66)
EducationMorningside College (BA)
University of South Dakota (JD)
University of Virginia (LLM)

Early life and education

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Raised on a family farm near Lytton, Iowa,[2] Hecht received a Bachelor of Arts in history and political science from Morningside College in 1974 and a Juris Doctor from the University of South Dakota School of Law in 1977.[1][3] Hecht worked in private practice in Sioux City, Iowa for 22 years. His practice included plaintiff civil litigation, workers' compensation, and appeals.[3]

State judicial service

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In 1999 Hecht was appointed to the Iowa Court of Appeals by Governor Tom Vilsack.[2] In 2004, Hecht received a Master of Laws from the University of Virginia School of Law.[1][2] On August 1, 2006, Hecht was appointed by Governor Vilsack to the Iowa Supreme Court.[2] He succeeded Chief Justice Louis A. Lavorato upon Lavorato's retirement and joined the Supreme Court on September 30, 2006.[4] In August 2017, he was retained in a retention election with 64% of the vote.[5] Hecht continued to live in Sioux City as a judge on the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.[3] Hecht worked on civil justice reform with the Institute for the Advancement of the Legal System, the National Center for State Courts, and the Conference of Chief Justices.[6]

Hecht, through a press release from the Iowa Judicial Branch on November 16, 2018, announced his retirement from the court due to his battle with skin cancer.[7] His resignation took effect December 13, 2018.

Death

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Hecht died on April 3, 2019, at the age of 66 from melanoma.[8] Hecht and his wife Sandy had two daughters.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Iowa Judicial Branch page for Daryl L. Hecht Archived 2017-09-18 at the Wayback Machine, accessed September 18, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d Hayworth, Bret (August 2, 2006). "Hecht appointed to Iowa Supreme Court". Sioux City Journal.
  3. ^ a b c d Laird, Rox (November 2016). "A Conversation with the Court" (PDF). The Iowa Lawyer: 17–19.
  4. ^ "Vilsack Names New Iowa Supreme Court Justice". The Courier. August 2, 2006.
  5. ^ "Iowa Supreme Court Retain Daryl Hecht Results: "Yes" Wins". The New York Times. August 1, 2017.
  6. ^ Kourlis, Rebecca Love (April 10, 2019). "IAALS Remembers Justice Daryl Hecht, Champion of Civil Justice Reform Movement". IAALS.
  7. ^ Gruber-Miller, Stephen (November 16, 2018). "Iowa Supreme Court justice with cancer will resign in December". Des Moines Register.
  8. ^ "Former Iowa Supreme Court Justice Daryl Hecht has died". KCCI Des Moines. 3 April 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
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Political offices
Preceded by Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court
2006–2018
Succeeded by