Document - Judicial Selection in the States

Judicial Biographies
District 8A
Myron L. Gookin
District Judge
Year of Appointment: 2011
Background and Education:
Born and raised in Fairfield,
Iowa, Judge Gookin graduated
from Fairfield High School, with
honors, in 1976. He received
his bachelor’s degree, with
distinction, from Iowa State
University in 1980. In 1983, he
received his law degree from
Drake University, with honors,
including: Order of the Coif,
Order of Barristers, Midwest &
National Moot Court teams with
individual honors, Moot Court Board, Rodney L. Hudson
Senior Advocacy Award, Drake Law Review,and multiple
American Jurisprudence Awards.
Career: While in law school, Judge Gookin worked as a
law clerk for Davis, Hockenberg, Wine, Brown and Koehn
in Des Moines, Iowa, and for Foss & Kuiken in Fairfield.
From 1983 to 2011, Judge Gookin worked in general
private practice, with an emphasis in trial practice, with
Foss, Kuiken, Gookin & Cochran P.C., in Fairfield.
elementary age students and participating in community
clean-up and betterment efforts. He has been active in
his church, serving in numerous state leadership positions,
and still serving as a local church lay speaker. Judge
Gookin has spoken on law and justice topics to numerous
local organizations and schools, and is a proponent of the
judiciary’s active participation in helping educate young
people in the workings of government, in particular, the
judicial branch.
Professional Activities: Judge Gookin is a member of
the Jefferson County Bar Association, The Iowa State Bar
Association, and the Iowa Judges Association. He serves
on the Iowa Supreme Court Commission on Continuing
Legal Education, the 8A Judicial District Magistrate
Nominating Commission, and is a past member of the Iowa
Supreme Court Limited Jurisdiction Task Force.
Family: Judge Gookin is married and has three children.
Community Activities: When Judge Gookin returned to
practice law in his hometown, he became very involved
in community activities. At the time of his appointment
to the bench, he was in his fourth term as an at-large
councilperson and serving as mayor pro tem on the
Fairfield City Council. Judge Gookin chaired numerous
boards and commissions at the state and local level and
served in many volunteer capacities, including mentoring
Crystal S. Cronk
District Associate Judge
Year of Appointment: 2010
Background and Education:
Judge Cronk attended
Northeast Missouri State
University and received her law
degree from the University of
Missouri-Columbia in 1996.
Career: While in the private
practice of law from 1996 to
2010, Judge Cronk served as
assistant Van Buren County
attorney in 1996 through 1999,
and Van Buren County Attorney from 1999 to 2006. She
was appointed Van Buren County judicial magistrate from
2006 until her appointment.
Professional Activities: Judge Cronk is a member of The
Iowa State Bar Association, the Iowa Judges Association,
the District Eight Public Outreach Committee, and was a
prior commission member of the Grievance Commission of
the Supreme Court of Iowa. She also served as a member
of the committee to study the ABA Model Code of Judicial
Conduct. Judge Cronk is currently a member of the
Judicial Technology Committee.
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