Author: Robert Rehkemper

Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Slain Anamosa Correctional Officer, Robert McFarland

Protect those who protect us.  Positive change must come out of a preventable tragedy. The mobilization of the corrections community to force change within the Iowa Department of Corrections starts now. According to the Director of the Iowa Department of Corrections, Beth Skinner, “staff safety is my main priority as director.”   Skinner has publicly claimed, “I recognize that Iowa Corrections System staff are our most important and valuable assets.”  The Iowa Department of Corrections, actions and inactions leading up to and since the murders of Robert McFarland and Lorena Schulte would say otherwise. On March 23, 2021, Corrections Officer, Robert […]

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GRL Law Secures Settlement for Special Education Student Who Was Sexually Assaulted on School Grounds, During School Hours

Paulina, O’Brien County, Iowa. The Court has approved the South O’Brien Community School District’s agreement to pay $625,000.00 to settle a lawsuit brought by the family of a special education student who was sexually assaulted by a fellow student in the building of South O’Brien High School, during school hours. The suit, filed by the Government Accountability Division of GRL Law back in August of 2022, alleged that the special education student was victimized by a fellow, higher functioning, special education student, at times, when they were the only two students being taught by a single teacher.  All three named […]

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NFG Domestic Abuse Assault With a Firearm

Winterset, Madison County, Iowa. What may be the most ridiculous and worst investigated Domestic Abuse Assault case that GRL Law ever defended, went to trial and the jury acquitted GRL’s client in under a half-hour of deliberation.  The accusation was that GRL’s client fired four shots while standing on a hill in the woods, along a gravel road in Madison County, when he did not know that his ex-wife had arrived unexpectedly at the property.  The ex-wife claimed that shots were fired to scare her even though the perfectly in-focus pictures that she took proved that GRL’s client had his […]

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Are Iowa’s Current Gun Laws Constitutional?

Iowa law set out in Iowa Code section 724.8B makes it a separate and distinct criminal offense to possess a firearm while committing an “indictable offense.”  An “indictable offense” in Iowa includes all offenses that are categorized as serious misdemeanors, aggravated misdemeanors or felonies.  They include offenses such as theft, driving while suspended, possession of marijuana, operating while intoxicated and other misdemeanors which are completely unconnected to violence or use of a firearm. Charges under section 724.8B are being filed by law enforcement regardless of whether the individual has a valid permit to carry a concealed weapon or is carrying […]

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$154,900 Settlement for Wrongful Arrest

Ankeny, Polk County, Iowa.  GRL’s Government Accountability Division obtained a settlement of $154,900 for an Ankeny man who was wrongfully arrested by Ankeny Police Department earlier this year.  While the financial compensation was substantial for GRL’s client, it was not the most incredible part of this case. Apologies, especially sincere apologies, simply do not happen when a citizen accuses a government entity of misconduct or violating their constitutional rights.  Deflection, denial, victim-blame, and excuse-making tend to be the government’s go-to approaches to these types of cases. They never, ever admit that they were wrong.  However, in this case, in a […]

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Well Worth the Money

I hired Robert from GRL to represent me at the suggestion from a co-worker who had used GRL before. Robert represented me for an OWI charge. From my first conversation with him Robert was open and easy to talk to. I explained my situation and he was confident he could help me. Robert, Madisyn and the whole team at GRL were helpful, pleasant and supportive thru the entire ordeal. Thru diligent work and attention to detail Robert managed to get the charge amended to public intoxication, with no suspension to my license or ill effect to my insurance. I will […]

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Respecting Officer Has Positive Impact

Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa.  GRL’s client put on a clinic on how to appropriately interact with law enforcement while effectively invoking her rights.  She was compliant, polite, and respectful while still confidently invoking her rights. The result was the charge of Operating While Intoxicated being amended to a simple misdemeanor public intoxication charge.

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Persons Seeking Medical Assistance for Drug-Related Overdose

Iowa law provides a legal defense for individuals who seek, obtain, or otherwise summon the assistance of law enforcement and emergency medical personnel in instances of suspected drug overdose.  With the plague of fentanyl overdoses being experienced through the state and nation, this is an appropriate measure to ensure that victims can secure desperately needed medical assistance at the earliest opportunity without fear of arrest or prosecution. Iowa Code section 124.418 was enacted in 2018.  This law categorizes any information or evidence collected or derived as a result of an overdose patient’s good-faith actions in seeking medical assistance, as “protected […]

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Iowa’s Overdose Protection Law Results in Dismissal

Waukee, Dallas County, Iowa.  Iowa’s overdose protection law was utilized to secure a dismissal of Possession and drug Paraphernalia charges for a client of GRL Law.  What was very nearly a tragedy, ultimately had a happy ending.  GRL Law’s client unknowingly ingested Fentanyl when consuming another product and immediately began suffering overdose symptoms.  Thankfully friends immediately summoned emergency assistance to assist.  Medical treatment was provided but, apparently unaware that no evidence obtained from emergency responses to these calls may be used to charge an individual, law enforcement charged GRL’s client with possession of a controlled substances.  Thankfully GRL’s client made […]

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