A Fayette County magistrate has been removed from his position by the Iowa Supreme Court in response to the magistrate’s use of racial slurs and inappropriate comments made in written rulings and open court, according to the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier.
David Hanson came under fire initially shortly after being appointed in January 2022 when he refused to sign an arrest warrant for a 17 year old girl who had allegedly sexually abused a 15 year old boy. Hanson wrote that he did not find the boy’s account credible and it was absurd that the boy would be unable to push the female away despite the girl’s 290 pound stature. Hanson noted that likely represented female obesity rather than muscular weight. He went on to say that the boy’s actions were “contrary to nature” because the “normal, hormone-ridden teenage boy’s reaction to being undressed by a teenage girl is ‘Alright! I’m gonna get some.” He concluded by saying the boy consented to and actively participated in the sex acts only to later regret his free will choice.
Then, in July of 2023 a law school student filed a complaint over comments by Hanson during a case regarding a Hispanic defendant cited for Driving Without a License or Insurance. Hanson asked “Is this guy a wetback? An illegal?” He then commented that the defendant probably stole someone’s ID card or identity. Hanson did not dispute those comments. The Iowa Commission on Judicial Qualifications had recommended a 90 day suspension with anger management and bias training but the Iowa Supreme Court decided removal was more appropriate.