Daryl Hecht | |
---|---|
Associate Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court | |
In office September 6, 2006 – December 13, 2018 | |
Appointed by | Tom Vilsack |
Preceded by | Louis A. Lavorato |
Succeeded by | Christopher McDonald |
Personal details | |
Born | June 25, 1952 Lytton, Iowa |
Died | April 3, 2019 (aged 66) |
Education | Morningside College (BA) University of South Dakota (JD) University of Virginia (LLM) |
Daryl L. Hecht (June 25, 1952 – April 3, 2019) was a justice on the Iowa Supreme Court and president of Iowa Trial Lawyers Association.[1]
Raised on a family farm near Lytton, Iowa,[2] Hecht received a Bachelor of Arts in history and political science from Morningside College in 1974 and a Juris Doctor from the University of South Dakota School of Law in 1977.[1][3] Hecht worked in private practice in Sioux City, Iowa for 22 years. His practice included plaintiff civil litigation, workers' compensation, and appeals.[3]
In 1999 Hecht was appointed to the Iowa Court of Appeals by Governor Tom Vilsack.[2] In 2004, Hecht received a Master of Laws from the University of Virginia School of Law.[1][2] On August 1, 2006, Hecht was appointed by Governor Vilsack to the Iowa Supreme Court.[2] He succeeded Chief Justice Louis A. Lavorato upon Lavorato's retirement and joined the Supreme Court on September 30, 2006.[4] In August 2017, he was retained in a retention election with 64% of the vote.[5] Hecht continued to live in Sioux City as a judge on the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.[3] Hecht worked on civil justice reform with the Institute for the Advancement of the Legal System, the National Center for State Courts, and the Conference of Chief Justices.[6]
Hecht, through a press release from the Iowa Judicial Branch on November 16, 2018, announced his retirement from the court due to his battle with skin cancer.[7] His resignation took effect December 13, 2018.
Hecht died on April 3, 2019, at the age of 66 from melanoma.[8] Hecht and his wife Sandy had two daughters.[3]