Brandon Brown

[email protected]

Mr. Brown is married and has two children. He was raised in Strawberry Point, Iowa and is an active runner, bicyclist, swimmer, and motorcyclist. He has competed in several marathons and triathlons including the Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, the Maratona di Roma, and the Des Moines Ironman 70.3.

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Representative Cases:

  • Represented a Northeastern Iowa man charged with four counts of felonious sexual exploitation by a school employee. After taking depositions and filing a motion to dismiss, the court dismissed all charges against his client.
  • Member of the legal team who represented reality television star Chris Soules.
  • Client was a member of the Sworn Silence support motorcycle club for the Sons of Silence and charged with criminal gang participation after making headlines for allegedly harassing an off-duty police officer. After Attorney Brown took depositions of the witnesses, the state dismissed all charges against client and other club members.
  • State v. Leedom, 2020 WL 391787. The Iowa Supreme Court agreed with our request for a remand and directed the district court to review potentially exculpatory evidence for a new trial.
  • Boone County Case. No. FECR111386. Before our representation, a jury found our client guilty of two counts of domestic abuse, including felonious strangulation. We appeared and filed a motion for new trial contending our client was entitled to a new trial since the judge admitted impermissible prior bad acts evidence and the prosecutor committed misconduct by introducing, among other things, evidence our client was the president of a local chapter of the Sons of Silence motorcycle club. The trial judge granted our motion and we handled retrial with the jury returning verdicts of not guilty.
  • Hamilton County Case No. FECR338214. Represented client accused of Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree, a Class B Felony. The district court granted our motion to dismiss on the grounds the State violated our client’s right to speedy trial.
  • Canny v. Bentley, et al. 307 F.Supp.3d 940 (N.D. Iowa 2018). Secured client a seldom granted motion for summary judgment after the court found law enforcement violated her constitutional rights to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures.
  • Client was a member of the Sons of Silence motorcycle club and charged with, among other things, Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to Deliver (Class B Felony). The State dismissed all charges shortly before a suppression motion was filed.
  • Rilea v. Iowa Dep’t of Transportation, 919 N.W.2d 380 (Iowa 2018). Iowa Supreme Court affirmed the district court by holding the Iowa Department of Transportation lacked the authority to stop motorist and issues citations for moving violations such as speeding. More can be read about this case at: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2018/10/19/iowa-dot-wrongly-issued-thousands-traffic-speeding-tickets-iowa-supreme-court-finds/1694203002/
  • State v. Werner, 919 N.W.2d 375 (Iowa 2018). Iowa Supreme Court reversed the district court by holding the Iowa Department of Transportation lacked the authority to make a stop for speeding.
  • Plymouth County Case No. CDCD030591. Successfully petitioned the district court to set aside a divorce decree on the grounds the presiding divorce court judge improperly communicated with the opposing lawyer about preparing the divorce decree without our client knowing about the communication.
    More can be read about this case at: https://siouxcityjournal.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/judge-vacates-ghostwritten-divorce-decree-in-plymouth-county/article_b7271625-9af5-5c80-83b1-0cba03f14969.html
  • State v. Tjernagel, 2017 WL 108291.  Iowa Court of Appeals reversed our client’s conviction for sexual abuse in the second degree by finding her prior counsel was ineffective for failing to object to impermissible testimony during her first trial.
  • Dallas County Case No. LACV039419. Our client was a teenage victim of sexual abuse. Following a jury trial, client was awarded $625,000 in damages. The jury verdict certainly helped to empower the teenage victim and gave her perpetrator additional accountability.
  • Client was a central Iowa teen accused of sexual abuse in a highly controversial and publicized case. His forcible felony charge originated in adult court. Following client’s reverse waiver motion, the judge agreed to transfer the case to juvenile court. Following a trial, the district court judge acquitted client of the charge.
  • United States District Court, Southern District of Iowa Case No. 4:15-cv-00096-RP-HCA. Our client was erroneously attacked by a sheriff’s police dog while raking leaves in his yard. Client alleged, among other things, that the county and its deputy violated his Fourth Amendment rights and failed to properly train the dog’s handler. Defendants settled the case for $250,000.00.
  • Dubuque County Case No. FECR104008. Client was charged with Murder in the First Degree. After taking depositions of several key witnesses, the State dismissed the charge against our client.
  • United States District Court, Southern District of Iowa Case No. 4:13-cv-00277JEG. Represented an inmate of the Washington County jail who was sexually assaulted by another inmate. Settled the case for $260,000.00 which is believed to be one of the largest settlements in the country for this type of claim.
  • Storm v. Chariton, Iowa, et al., United States District Court, Southern District of Iowa Case No. 4:12-cv-00334. Ms. Storm reached an acceptable settlement with Chariton, Iowa, as well as two police officers following a lawsuit filed against the defendants under 42 U.S.C. Section 1983 for the misuse of an X-26 taser.
  • State v. Michael Leer, Jr., 2013 Iowa App. LEXIS 960. Iowa Court of Appeals held that district court erred in viewing the evidence in a light most favorably to the State on a suppression issue.
  • State v. David Flores, Polk County Case No. FECR108667. Mr. Flores was convicted of Murder in the First Degree in 1997. Following a lengthy appeal process, he was awarded a new trial. On the second day of trial, Mr. Flores was offered a resolution dismissing the murder charge, allowing him to maintain his innocence, and releasing him immediately from incarceration.
  • Dawn Dooley v. Colin Boone, et al., United States District Court, Southern District of Iowa Case No. 4:11-cv-75. Client filed a civil rights action under 42 U.S.C. Section 1983 against a now terminated Des Moines police officer. Client alleged the officer used excessive force during the course of an OWI arrest and conspired with another officer to conceal the use of force. Defendants settled the case for $52,500.00.
  • Justin Shekleton v. Ryan Eichenberger, 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 9041. Eighth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals denied qualified immunity for Chickasaw County Deputy following the use of his X-26 taser. The case was subsequently settled for $150,000.00.
  • Kyle Ray v. Robert Purdy and Des Moines County, Iowa, United States District Court, Southern District of Iowa Case No. 3:11-cv-00080. Client filed a civil rights action under 42 U.S.C. Section 1983 against a Scott County Deputy for the misuse of his X-26 taser and, shortly thereafter, successfully settled his claim, with other grievances, for $80,000.00.
  • Heidi Anfinson v. State of Iowa, 758 N.W.2d 496 (Iowa 2008). Iowa Supreme Court held that client was entitled to a new murder trial due to ineffective assistance of previous counsel.
  • Michael Davis v. R&D Driftwood, Inc., 2009 Iowa App. LEXIS 137. Iowa Court of Appeals held that a dramshop cause of action does not accrue until the Notice of Dramshop was served on the defendant.
  • Represented Former University of Iowa athlete and Olympian charged with a sex offense. Jury returned a verdict of not guilty.
  • State v. Darbara Singh, Mahaska County Case No. FECR063062. Client charged with Sexual Assault in the Third Degree and False Imprisonment. Both charges were dismissed after deposition of complaining party. Client subsequently filed a civil action against the complaining party that resulted in not only a monetary settlement, but also an agreement to a permanent injunction preventing the complaining party from disseminating any further false statements about client.
  • State v. Julie Pfaltzgraff, Scott County Case No. FECR004757. Client charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver (Class B Felony) and Failure to Affix a Drug Tax Stamp (Class D Felony). Both charges were dismissed after depositions of investigating officers and seized vehicle was returned to client.
  • State v. Juana Castellanos, Wapello County Case No. FECR007863. Client charged with, among other things, Kidnapping in the First Degree (Class A Felony). During discovery, client pled to Willful Injury (non-forcible Class D Felony) and received a suspended sentence with no prison time imposed.
  • State v. John Twombly, Polk County Case Nos. SRCR248368 and SMAC322611. Client was charged with two counts of assault on police officers, interference with official acts, disorderly conduct, and criminal mischief for alleged criminal conduct. Prior to trial, the disorderly conduct and criminal mischief charges were dismissed. Following a four day trial, client was found not guilty of one count of assault on a peace officer and interference with official acts.