Iowa Law Review
The Iowa Law Bulletin began its life in 1891 as a faculty-led publication. Faculty members wrote and edited the content for nine years before the series ended in 1900. The University of Iowa College of Law brought the Bulletin back to life in 1915 with a new editorial structure. This version included both faculty members and students working together on the pages. A significant change occurred in 1925 when the journal changed its name to the Iowa Law Review. That renaming signaled a shift toward focusing primarily on legal issues within Iowa. Editors still allowed occasional articles about national or international law to appear alongside local topics.
A major structural shift happened in 1935 when student editors took full control of the journal. Before that year, faculty members held equal power over the selection and editing process. Since 1935, students have managed all aspects of the publication without faculty oversight. This transition established a model where future generations of lawyers shaped the journal's direction from the inside out. The current operation continues this tradition of complete student governance five times each calendar year. No external authority overrides the decisions made by the student editorial board today.
The journal published its first symposium in 1933 under the title Administrative Law Based upon Legal Writings 1931-1933. This specific collection marked the first time any law review had attempted such a large-scale thematic project. The series focused entirely on administrative law during those three years. Editors gathered existing writings into a cohesive volume rather than publishing isolated essays. Subsequent decades saw the journal continue holding symposia on matters of national importance. These events transformed the publication from a simple collection of notes into a platform for deep policy analysis.
The Contemporary Studies Project launched in 1968 to produce large-scale empirical research. Most projects lasted longer than one year and relied heavily on data collection methods. One notable study titled Facts and Fallacies About Iowa Civil Commitment appeared in volume 55 at page 895 in 1970. That work directly contributed to the revision of Iowa's civil commitment laws in 1975. Another study comparing Iowans' dispositive preferences with probate codes appeared in volume 63 at page 1041 in 1978. A third analysis of small claims courts was published in volume 75 at page 433 in 1990. Courts throughout the United States have widely cited these empirical findings in their own rulings.
The Iowa Supreme Court cited a student note in its April 2009 decision known as Varnum v. Brien. This ruling struck down the state's ban on gay marriage based on the legal arguments presented in the journal. The United States Supreme Court referenced Randall P. Bezanson's article Institutional Speech from volume 80 in January 2010. Justices Scalia and Stevens wrote separate concurring opinions that included this specific citation. Justice Elena Kagan later cited Jenny Roberts' article Ignorance Is Effectively Bliss in the March 2010 decision Padilla v. Kentucky. These instances demonstrate how student scholarship influences high-level judicial reasoning across multiple jurisdictions.
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When did the Iowa Law Review change its name from the Iowa Law Bulletin?
The journal changed its name to the Iowa Law Review in 1925. This renaming signaled a shift toward focusing primarily on legal issues within Iowa while still allowing occasional articles about national or international law.
Who controls the editorial process of the Iowa Law Review today?
Student editors have managed all aspects of the publication without faculty oversight since 1935. The current operation continues this tradition of complete student governance five times each calendar year with no external authority overriding their decisions.
What was the first symposium published by the Iowa Law Review and when did it occur?
The journal published its first symposium in 1933 under the title Administrative Law Based upon Legal Writings 1931-1933. This specific collection marked the first time any law review had attempted such a large-scale thematic project focused entirely on administrative law during those three years.
Which study from the Contemporary Studies Project contributed to the revision of Iowa's civil commitment laws in 1975?
A notable study titled Facts and Fallacies About Iowa Civil Commitment appeared in volume 55 at page 895 in 1970. That work directly contributed to the revision of Iowa's civil commitment laws in 1975 after relying heavily on data collection methods over more than one year.
How has the Iowa Supreme Court utilized scholarship from the Iowa Law Review in recent decades?
The Iowa Supreme Court cited a student note in its April 2009 decision known as Varnum v. Brien which struck down the state's ban on gay marriage based on legal arguments presented in the journal. Courts throughout the United States have widely cited these empirical findings in their own rulings.