Hon. Sean W. McPartland (Ret.)

McPartland ADR, PLC ·

P.O. Box 102, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52406

McPartlandADR@gmail.com · 319-491-4455

Education

  • University of Iowa, J.D., 1984, with distinction

  • University of Iowa B.A., 1981, Journalism and Mass Communication, with distinction

  • Phi Beta Kappa

  • Kappa Tau Alpha (Journalism Honor Society)

Bar Admission

  • Missouri, 1984 (current status: inactive)

  • Iowa, 1989

Work Experience

State of Iowa, District Court Judge / Senior District Court Judge, Sixth Judicial District, 2008 to 2026

  • District Court Judge, November 2008 to February 2024

  • Senior District Court Judge, February 2024 through August 2026

  • General jurisdiction judge presiding over civil cases, felony criminal cases and other matters, including dissolution and custody matters, guardianship, probate and estate matters

  • Iowa Business Specialty Court Judge, 2017 to 2026 (settlement judge only from 2021 to 2026)

  • Member, Iowa Advisory Committee on Reform of Civil Rules, 2012–2015

  • Member, Iowa Civil Justice Task Force Steering Committee, 2009–2012

  • Served on committees to study and implement individual case assignment of civil cases in Sixth Judicial District, 2011–2013, and to improve utilization and scheduling of district associate judges in the Sixth Judicial District, 2015

  • Chair of Benton County Magistrate Nominating Commission, Security Committee, 2015 to 2026

  • Administrative duties included serving periodically as civil and criminal presiding judge on monthly rotations and handling emergency civil commitment requests on periodic weekly rotations

Lynch Dallas, P.C., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 1989–2008

  • General civil practice included jury trials, bench trials, and appeals before state and federal courts; cases included trials and summary judgment disposition of cases involving insurance coverage disputes, railroad crossing accidents, business fraud claims, FELA claims, employment discrimination claims, contractual indemnity claims, motor vehicle accidents, judicial review of nursing home transfers, and gross negligence claims

  • Served as President of law firm, 2000–2004

  • Contributing writer of materials for, and presenter at, multiple continuing legal education seminars on topics including employment law and wage and hour issues

Swanson, Midgley, Gangwere, Clarke and Kitchin, Kansas City, Missouri, 1984–1989

  • General civil practice included first and second chair jury trials, bench trials, and appeals; appeared before state and federal courts

  • Assisted on a case involving the issue of whether the NCAA was a state actor for constitutional purposes, through appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, National Collegiate Athletic Ass’n v. Tarkanian, 488 U.S. 179 (1988)

Additional Judicial Education of Note

  • General Jurisdiction Course, National Judicial College, Reno, Nevada, 2009

  • New Judge Orientation Seminar, Iowa Judicial Branch, Des Moines, Iowa, 2011

  • Fourth Amendment for Trial Judges, National Judicial College, Oxford, Mississippi, 2011

  • Ninth Annual Judicial Symposium on Civil Justice Issues, Law & Economics Center, George Mason University School of Law, 2015

  • The National Judicial College faculty development workshop for the Iowa Judiciary, 2016

  • How to Avoid Mid-Career Burnout, Iowa Judicial Branch, 2017–2018

  • Portraits in Judicial Courage, Iowa Judicial Institute, 2017

  • Ex Parte Communication and Sexual Harassment Policy and Best Practice for Judges, Iowa Judicial Branch, 2018

Additional Speaking and Other Activities as Judge

  • Presenter at New Judge Orientation, Iowa Judicial Branch, Des Moines, Iowa, 2012–2016

  • New Judge Orientation/Judicial Officers Academy Advisory Group, Iowa Judicial Branch, 2015–2020

  • Panelist, University of Iowa School of Journalism, Media Law and Communications classes, arranged through Iowa Judges Association, 2010–2014

  • Panelist, Report of Civil Justice Advisory Committee: Discovery Reforms and Expedited Civil Actions, Linn County Bar Association, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, November 2013

  • Panelist, Report of Civil Justice Advisory Committee: Discovery Reforms and Expedited Civil Actions, Johnson County Bar Association, Iowa City, Iowa, November 2013

  • Panelist, American Conference Institute, Member of Judges Panel, Preventing and Defending Long-Term Care Litigation, Miami, Florida, January 2014

  • Panelist, Changes in Rules of Civil Procedure, ISBA Annual Meeting, Des Moines, Iowa, 2014

  • Panelist, Changes in Rules of Civil Procedure, Linn County Bar Association, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 2014

  • Panelist, What You Need to Know About the ECA and New General Discovery Rules for Civil Cases, ISBA Litigation Section Webinar, 2014

  • Panelist, Expedited Civil Actions — Review and Update, ISBA Annual Meeting, Des Moines, Iowa, 2015

  • American Conference Institute, Member of Judges Panel, Long-Term Care Litigation & Risk Management Strategies, Miami, Florida, January 2016

  • American Conference Institute, Member of Judges Panel, Aviation Claims & Litigation, New York, New York, June 2016

  • American Conference Institute, Member of Judges Panel, Transactional Insurance, New York, New York, June 2016

  • American Conference Institute, Member of Judges Panel, Consumer Finance — Class Actions & Litigation, Chicago, Illinois, July 2016

  • American Conference Institute, Member of Judges Panel, Employment Discrimination Litigation, Chicago, Illinois, July 2016

  • Speaker, Views from the Bench Regarding Expedited Civil Actions, Inn of Court, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, March 2017

  • American Conference Institute, Member of Judges Panel, Defending and Managing Class Actions, New York, New York, April 2017

  • American Conference Institute, Member of Judges Panel, Consumer Finance — Class Actions & Litigation, New York, New York, April 2017

  • Iowa Judges Conference/ISBA Conference, Panel Member, Expedited Civil Actions Update, Des Moines, Iowa, June 2017

  • American Conference Institute, Member of Judges Panel, Toxic Tort & Environmental Litigation, Chicago, Illinois, June 2017

  • ISBA Federal Practice Seminar, Gender Bias Panel, December 2017

  • Contributing writer, essay “The Pursuit of Judicial Excellence”, The Book of Judges, Jeffrey L. Goodman, Curator, Lamont-Ogden Group, 2025

Professional Affiliations and Organizations

  • American Bar Association, 1985–present

  • Iowa State Bar Association, 1989–present

  • Linn County Bar Association, 1989–present

  • Iowa Judges Association, 2008–2026

  • Dean Mason Ladd American Inn of Court (current status: Emeritus)

Past Professional Affiliations and Organizations (inactive during judicial appointment)

  • Iowa Defense Counsel Association

  • Defense Research Institute

  • Ethics and Grievance Committee of Linn County Bar Association (Chair, 2005–2008)

  • National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel

Previous Community Involvement

  • Member of Board of Directors, Ward Park Homes Association, Kansas City, Missouri, 1987–1989

  • Vice President (1996), President (1997–1998) and Member of Board of Trustees of the Cedar Rapids Community School District Foundation, 1995–1999

  • President (1999–2002) and Member of Board of Trustees (1996–2002), and member of various additional committees, Peoples Church Unitarian Universalist, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 1996–2002

  • Member of Board of Trustees of Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation, 2008–2010