Des Moines – District Judge Stephen C. Clarke recently received the 2013 Iowa Judges Association Award of Merit in recognition of his “dedication, skill, distinguished service and extraordinary efforts for the betterment of the Iowa judiciary.” Judge Clarke received the award at the annual Iowa Judges Association meeting.
Judge Clarke, Cedar Falls, was appointed to the bench in 1984. He served as an associate juvenile judge until he was appointed district judge in 1997.
In 2001, Judge Clarke was designated as an “Angel in Adoption” by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption. In 2002, Judge Clarke was presented with the Iowa Trial Lawyers Association “Judicial Achievement Award” in recognition of his “achievements in maintaining the integrity of Iowa’s judicial system.”
In addition to his other duties, Judge Clarke serves as administrative judge for Black Hawk County, as administrative judge for the First Judicial District Department of Juvenile Court Services, as a member of the State of Iowa’s Juvenile Justice Advisory Council, and as a member of the Iowa Supreme Court’s Children’s Justice Advisory Board.
Judge Clarke is a member of the Iowa Judges Association, the American Judicature Society, and the Black Hawk County and Iowa State Bar Associations. He has served as President of the Iowa Judges Association and as co-chair of the Iowa Supreme Court Select Committee to Review State Court Practices in Child Welfare Matters now known as Iowa Children’s Justice.
Judge Clarke was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa, and graduated from Dowling High School. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Conception (MO) Seminary College in 1967 and his law degree from the University of Mississippi in 1973. In addition to four years of private practice, he served as Black Hawk County public defender and worked at the Central Mississippi Legal Services before being appointed to the associate juvenile bench. Judge Clarke is married with two sons.
