Welcome to True Justice
Stories from the human side of the law and courts
I’m Lynn Hicks, and this is my Substack column, “True Justice.”
I work as the chief of staff and public information officer of the Polk County Attorney’s Office in Des Moines, Iowa. This column reflects my voice and mine alone.
Before coming to the office, I worked almost five years in a similar position at the Iowa Attorney General’s Office. But before that, I worked in a different form of public service: I was a newspaper journalist for more than 27 years, most of them for the Des Moines Register.
I did a lot of jobs during that time: I wrote, assigned, and edited news stories; ran a small newspaper in Wisconsin; and served as business editor and columnist. I traveled to Bosnia, Brazil, and China (twice) as a journalist. My last position at the Register was as editor of the opinion pages. Those were exciting times: As a member of the editorial board, I interviewed all of the candidates running for president in 2016, except two; I’m sure you can guess at least one. And I edited a series of editorials written by Andie Dominick that ended up winning the Pulitzer Prize.
One of those early assignments was covering state and federal courts, including the office I work for now. It was one of my favorite jobs. The court house brimmed with drama and humanity. Back then, the historic Polk County Court House served as the venue for all cases — from minor traffic offenses to murders to small-claims cases to high-dollar business disputes — and what seemed like every stratum of society — juveniles in shackles, uniformed officers, sharp-dressed attorneys, court watchers, public defenders, jurors, and victims — marched up its marble steps.
As a reporter, I struggled to do more than stay on top of all of the murder cases and notable lawsuits. I knew there were larger stories to tell, such as exploring whether any of this was creating a more just, safe, and equitable community.
“True Justice” continues that quest. The title represents an aspiration. The courts can resemble a machine, quickly spinning out orders and plea deals. Compromises, scant resources, statutes, and other limitations produce outcomes that may fall short of our ideals. Every case is an opportunity to strive for justice, however, and that should be our goal.
This column is not “True Crime.” I’ll leave the sensational cases to the media. I cannot ethically write about pending cases. I’m not qualified to do legal analysis. I simply hope to provide a glimpse into areas that get less attention and highlight the human side of the courts. Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think. After all, this is your justice system.
I’m thrilled to be part of the Iowa Writers Collaborative. Check out the impressive stable of contributors:
