NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY ROBERT MAHARRY — Outgoing Tama County Magistrate Ann Kuhter, right, is pictured with her successor, Dusty Clements of Colfax, left, during a retirement reception at the Tama County Courthouse on Tuesday morning.

Although she was never a practicing lawyer before taking on her role as Tama County’s magistrate in 1997, a passion for the justice system ran deep in Ann Kuhter’s blood as her father, the late Richard “Dick” Paxson, was a longtime magistrate in Black Hawk County, where Ann was born and raised.

On Tuesday morning, a retirement reception was held inside the Tama County Courthouse, and friends and colleagues had the opportunity to enjoy light refreshments and cookies with Kuhter and wish her well as she transitions to the next phase in her life, working a part-time remote job for her brother’s private company.

Ann and her husband George first moved to the area in 1992 when he took a teaching position at South Tama County, and she first worked in the Tama County Assessor’s Office. Dick encouraged his daughter to apply for a four-year term with the caveat that he didn’t think she would get it, but it would be good for her. As it turned out, he was wrong.

“When I was appointed as the magistrate, you did not have to be an attorney. They changed that in 2009, but the non-attorneys were grandfathered in. I am the last non-attorney magistrate in the state of Iowa,” she said.

Her term began on Aug. 1, 1997, and to prepare for her new role, Kuhter spent almost every day in a courtroom over that summer in either Tama or Black Hawk County.

“What you learn from some judges and magistrates is how you want to run your courtroom, and what you learn from others is how you don’t want to run your courtroom. You know, as far as the legal stuff, you just learn it,” she said.

A magistrate handles initial appearances “almost every day,” which, in Tama County, is basically seven days a week with the types of cases ranging from a speeding ticket to first degree murder.

“As far as trials, we handle simple misdemeanors and traffic violations. We do small claims. We do seize property. We do evictions, forcible entry and detainer actions, committals, which can happen any time of the day or night. We get calls 24/7, and we do search warrants. And we do weddings,” Kuhter said.

For anyone worried about a slowdown in the local justice system due to Kuhter’s retirement, her replacement, attorney Dusty Clements of Colfax, who practices in Newton, is taking over the position. She applied and began traveling to Tama County in May, and Clements said Kuhter has been “very helpful” in the transition process.

Tama County used to have two full-time dedicated magistrates, but four years ago, the state court administrator changed that and moved it to a different county.

“This is really a 24/7 job. It’s just all the time. And the same thing happened in Iowa County, which is Marengo, they lost a magistrate also,” Kuhter said.

From there, she formed a partnership with the Iowa County magistrate and alternated weekends, so Kuhter covered both before later getting Benton and Jones counties involved to ensure that five magistrates were covering four counties. Clements will take on a similar workload.

“I’ve worked every county (in the area). I know all the jailers and law enforcement,” Kuhter said. “There is hardly anybody that I didn’t enjoy working with all across the board — Department of Corrections, law enforcement, the clerk’s office, everybody. Tama County is a busy county. It’s an interesting county, and I’ve learned a lot and I’ve appreciated everybody because everybody works hard here, law enforcement especially. They truly put themselves on the line every day.”

In addition to Ann’s part-time gig, the Kuhters were set to depart for a trip to Wyoming on Thursday, but she told her successor she’ll be happy to take her call anytime of day or night if Clements needs assistance.

“You might regret that,” Clements joked.