Daniel M. Morgan

Mr. Morgan regularly represents cities and counties on a wide variety of matters, including litigation defense, code enforcement, ordinance drafting, policy drafting, real estate, open meetings, open records, and many other issues commonly faced by government entities. He also represents employers in employment and labor union issues, and as an experienced mediator, assists his clients in negotiating favorable solutions to complex problems. 

Dan is also part of a team that regularly represents law enforcement officials such as police officers, deputy sheriffs, jailers, K-9 officers and their dogs, and county prosecutors on issues involving alleged excessive use of force, K-9 deployment and use of force, alleged deliberate indifference claims, officer involved shootings, alleged malicious prosecution and alleged unlawful search and seizure cases.  Dan also works with various law enforcement agencies to proactively develop strong policies and procedures.  He has successfully obtained dismissals or summary judgment for officers and their departments/agencies in both state and federal courts across Iowa.

Education

  • University of Iowa (J.D., 2017) with distinction
  • Mount Mercy University (B.A., 2012) summa cum laude

Professional Affiliations

Active or formerly active in the following organizations:

  • Iowa State Bar Association
  • Linn County Bar Association
  • Iowa League of Cities
  • Iowa Municipal Attorney Association
  • Iowa Municipal Manager Institute
  • Iowa Association of School Boards

Additional Biographical Information

  • Boy Scouts of America, Eagle Scout and Volunteer, Troop 35 – Marion, Iowa
  • Marion Methodist Church, Member and Safety Team
  • Hilltop Manor Senior Living Community – Board Member, Co-President

Presentations and Publications

  • Defending Law Enforcement on Excessive Force Lawsuit, 2023
  • "Sign of the Times", Iowa League of Cities Annual Conference, September 2021 (with Doug Herman)
  • "Service Animals in Your Community" Iowa Municipal Professionals Academy, July 29, 2021
  • “When Fido Becomes a Problem: Service Animals and Public Spaces” Iowa League of Cities Annual Conference, September 16, 2020
  • “Fido in the Library: Service Animals and Public Facilities” Cityscape – A Publication of the Iowa League of Cities, May 2020

Cases and Experience

  • Christ Vision v. City of Keokuk, Iowa (Iowa Ct. App. 2023) (successful summary judgment affirmed on appeal involving municipal demolition of nuisance/dangerous building).
  • Roberts v. Muscatine County (8th Cir. 2023) (successful motion to dismiss for County correctional officers affirmed on appeal involving claims for lack of medical treatment).
  • McGonigle c. City of Dubuque (N.D. Iowa 2022) (successful motion to dismiss on behalf of county defendants).
  • Overton v. Wheeler et al. (S.D. of Iowa 2022) (successful summary judgment for correctional officers on prisoner failure to exhaust jail grievance policy administrative remedies).
  • Parks v. City of Bettendorf, Iowa (Scott County 2022) (successful summary judgment for city on immunity and public duty grounds on plaintiff's negligence claims arising from plaintiff's injury on city streets).
  • Hester v City of Bettendorf, Iowa, and various police officers (Scott County 2021) (successful summary judgment for city and police officers on claims of alleged harassment, and alleged unlawful search and seizure involving K-9 sniff of vehicle where incident was captured on officer's vehicle mounted dash camera).
  • McKinley v. City of Coralville, Iowa, et al (Johnson County 2021) (successful summary judgment for city on public duty and immunity grounds on plaintiff's negligence claims arising from plaintiff's fall in a construction zone).
The exterior of the Lynch Dallas buidling with a brick facade

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