515-284-5737
For over two decades, Brandon has represented clients on a wide variety of cases including trials for first degree murder down to speeding tickets. Brandon’s advocacy and reputation has amassed a list of clients from reality television personalities, professional athletes, college athletes, Olympians, farmers, doctors, mechanics, lawyers, truckers, police officers, outlaw bikers, painters, business executives, service industry staff, contractors, chiropractors, nurses, landscapers, MMA fighters – you name it. Despite maintaining a robust criminal defense practice, Brandon has obtained over five million dollars in verdicts and settlements for his civil practice clients.
No matter who you are, or what your legal issue is, Brandon should be on your short list of attorneys.
Why? Take a look at a few of his cases below.
Personal Information
Brandon is married and has two children. He was raised in Strawberry Point, Iowa and is a dedicated 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, the Des Moines Ironman 70.3. Most recently, Brandon qualified for the 2023 Boston Marathon.
District Court (State and Federal)
- Represented featured West End Salvage reality personality during two civil jury trials.
- Represented talent agent in a breach of contract litigation involving reality television star Eden Wood from Toddler and Tiaras.
- Member of the legal team representing reality television star Chris Soules.
- Represented Former University of Iowa All-American and Olympian charged with a sex offense. Jury returned a verdict of not guilty.
- Represented Chapter President of the Sons of Silence Motorcycle Club. Before Brandon became involved, a jury found our client guilty of two counts of domestic abuse, including felonious strangulation. Brandon 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 the Sons of Silence. The trial judge granted our motion and we handled retrial with the jury returning verdicts of not guilty.
- Represented 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 Brandon took depositions of the witnesses, the state dismissed all charges against client and other club members.
- Represented Sons of Silence motorcycle club member 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.
- Represented an Eastern Iowa police officer criminally charged with assault for striking a woman while handcuffed. Jury returned a verdict of not guilty.
- Represented a Central Iowa public school administrator charged with operating while intoxicated. Jury returned a verdict of not guilty.
- Represented 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.
- 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.
- Represented a Hamilton County woman 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.
- Represented a Northeast Iowa teacher in a civil rights case, securing 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 when law enforcement illegally entered her home and arrested her. The case settled for $200,000.00
- Represented a Plymouth County man on a state-wide publicized case. Brandon 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. The case included Brandon cross-examining the opposing lawyer and original trial judge during a hearing on the petition to vacate.
- Represented a Dallas County teenage victim of sexual abuse. Following a jury trial, Brandon’s client was awarded $625,000 in damages. The jury verdict certainly helped to empower the teenage victim and gave her perpetrator additional accountability.
- Represented a Des Moines in federal court after he 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. Represented a Dubuque man charged with Murder in the First Degree. After taking depositions of several key witnesses, the State dismissed the charge against our client.
- Represented an inmate of the Washington County jail who was sexually assaulted by another inmate. Settled the case for $260,000.00 which, at the time, was one of the largest settlements Represented a Des Moines 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, our client was offered a resolution dismissing the murder charge, allowing him to maintain his innocence, and releasing him immediately from incarceration.
- Represented a Des Moines woman in 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.
- Represented a Burlington man in civil rights action under 42 U.S.C. Section 1983 against a deputy for the misuse of his X-26 taser and, shortly thereafter, successfully settled his claim, with other grievances, for $80,000.00.
- Represented an Oskaloosa man charge with Sexual Assault in the Third Degree and False Imprisonment. Both charges were dismissed after deposition of complaining party. Brandon 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.
- Represented a Burlington woman 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.
- Represented an Ottumwa woman 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.
- Represented a Des Moines man 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. Brandon subsequently sued officers for assaulting his client resulting in a confession of judgment for $75,000.00.
- Represented an Iowa prosecutor on a criminal harassment charge. The court granted our motion to dismiss the charge following a contested evidentiary hearing.
- Represented a Central Iowa police officer on filing a false report and failure to maintain control charges. The court granted our motion to dismiss the charges following a contested evidentiary hearing.
- Represented a Des Moines woman in a civil rights action under 42 U.S.C. Section 1983 against police officers who arrested her without arguable probable cause. Client received a judgment for $150,000.00.
- Webster v. Westlake, et al., 2022 WL 3972476. The Eighth Circuit Court of Appels affirmed the federal district court’s summary judgment on liability, concluding the Des Moines police officers violated our client’s clearly established constitutional rights by arresting her without arguable probable cause.
- 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.
- State v. Werner, 919 N.W.2d 375 (Iowa 2018). Iowa Supreme Court reversed the district court, holding the Iowa Department of Transportation lacked the authority to make a stop for speeding.
- 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.
- 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.
- State v. Doe, 903 N.W.2d 347 (Iowa 2017). Iowa Supreme Court reversed the district court, holding the term “criminal case” as used in Iowa’s statute for expungement referred to single numbered legal proceedings, even if those proceedings related to another case not resulting in a qualifying acquittal or dismissal. As a result, our client received an expungement of his criminal case.
- 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.
- Shekleton v. 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.
- 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.
- 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.