Marsha Ternus

Marsha Ternus
Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court
In office
2006 – December 31, 2010
Succeeded byMark Cady
Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court
In office
September 7, 1993 – December 31, 2010
Preceded byLouis W. Schultz
Succeeded byThomas D. Waterman
Personal details
Born (1951-05-30) May 30, 1951 (age 73)
Vinton, Iowa, U.S.

Marsha K. Ternus (born May 30, 1951)[1] is an American lawyer who served as a justice of the Iowa Supreme Court from September 7, 1993, to December 31, 2010. The members of the court selected her as chief justice in 2006. She was the first woman to serve as chief justice of Iowa's highest court. [2] As a Justice, Ternus was part of the unanimous Iowa Supreme Court ruling legally recognizing same-sex marriage in Iowa. Later, she was removed from office after a judicial retention election,[3] following campaigning by groups opposed to same-sex marriage including the National Organization for Marriage.[4] In 2012, Ternus received a Profile in Courage Award from the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation,[5] along with fellow Justices David L. Baker and Michael Streit.

From 2013 to 2016, she was Director of the Harkin Institute for Public Policy.[6]

  1. ^ Who's Who in American Law, 1998-1999. Marquis Who's Who. 1998. p. 775. ISBN 978-0-8379-3513-3.
  2. ^ . October 3, 2024 https://www.iowacourts.gov/for-the-public/educational-resources-and-services/iowa-courts-history/past-justices/marsha-k-ternus. Retrieved October 3, 2024. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ^ "Iowans Dismiss Three Justices". Des Moines Register. November 3, 2010. Archived from the original on December 27, 2010. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  4. ^ Glover, Mike (October 25, 2010). "Gay Marriage Foes Back Push To Oust Iowa Justices". Boston.com. Associated Press. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  5. ^ 2012 JFK Profile in Courage Award Winners Announced (March 12, 2012)
  6. ^ "Marsha Ternus to retire as director of the Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement". 25 April 2016.