Mark Cady

Mark Cady (July 12, 1953 – November 15, 2019) was an American jurist. He served on the Iowa Supreme Court for 21 years from 1998 to 2019. From 2011 to 2019, he was the chief justice of the court. He was the author of the court's opinion in Varnum v. Brien, which legalized same-sex marriage in Iowa.[1]

Mark Cady
Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court
In office January 11, 2011 – November 15, 2019
Preceded by	Marsha Ternus
Succeeded by	David Wiggins (Acting)
Personal details
Born	July 12, 1953 Rapid City, South Dakota, U.S.
Died	November 15, 2019 (aged 66) Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
Political party	Independent
Education	Drake University (BA, JD)

Early life and career

Cady was born on July 12, 1953, in Rapid City, South Dakota. He graduated from Drake University in 1975 with a degree in economics. In 1978, he earned his law degree from Drake and was elected to the Order of the Coif.[1] [2]

Judicial career

In 1986, Cady was appointed as a Webster County district judge. In 1994, Governor Terry Branstad appointed him to the Iowa Court of Appeals. Four years later, Branstad elevated Cady to the Iowa Supreme Court.[3] Cady was retained in the 2017 retention elections.[4]

As a justice, he wrote the opinion in Varnum v. Brien, a unanimous decision in 2009 that made Iowa the third state to permit same-sex marriage.[3] In 2018, he wrote the 5–2 majority opinion in Planned Parenthood v Reynolds that struck down a 72-hour waiting period for an abortion.[5]

Other activities

He served as the chairman of the National Center for State Courts Board of Directors. He was also the president of the Conference of Chief Justices. He was an adjunct faculty member at Buena Vista University.[6][7]

Personal life

Cady was married to Rebecca Cady and had two children.

He died unexpectedly on November 15, 2019 after suffering a heart attack while walking his dog. He was 66 years old.[8][9]

References

1. "'He leaves behind a legacy of service and dedication that we should never forget': Iowa's leaders remember Chief Justice Mark Cady". Des Moines Register. 2019-11-16.
2. https://www.iowacourts.gov/static/media/cms/Cady_bio_sketch_jan_2018_915C8442F7708.pdf
3. "Chief Justice Mark Cady, who wrote the opinion affirming right to same-sex marriage in Iowa, dies at 66". Des Moines Register. 2019-11-16.
4. "Iowa Supreme Court Retain Mark Cady Results: "Yes" Wins". New York Times. 2017-08-01.
5. "Chief Justice Mark Cady, who wrote the opinion affirming right to same-sex marriage in Iowa, dies at 66". Des Moines Register. 2018-06-29.
6. "Mark S. Cady". Retrieved February 15, 2015.
7. "Mark S. Cady". NNDB. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
8. "Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Cady Dead at 66". whotv.com. 2019-11-16. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
9. Pitt, David (November 16, 2019). "Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Cady dies unexpectedly". Associated Press. Retrieved November 16, 2019.

External links

• Iowa Judicial Branch page for Mark S. Cady
• Ballotpedia Profile
• Votesmart Profile
• Appearances on C-SPAN