Austin J Luse

Born and raised in southern Iowa, the son of a farmer and a teacher, I am passionate about helping those who need it most with their legal needs. The tightknit, blue collar community where I grew up instilled the values of hard work and loyalty into me at a young age, and I carry these values with me wherever I go. I am an Associate Attorney at Balduchi Law Office, P.C., in Des Moines, Iowa, where I primarily focus in the areas of family law and criminal defense, but also handle probate, personal injury, and basic business entity-structuring matters.

I am a 2017 graduate of the University of Iowa, where I developed excellent critical analytic, researching, and writing skills during my time at the Adler School of Journalism. These skills continued to be honed in my legal studies as I attended Drake University Law School and graduated in 2020. These skills were especially sharpened during my time as a student attorney at the Drake Legal Clinic, where I helped indigent clients on a variety of issues ranging from divorce, guardianships, custody modifications, and landlord-tenant disputes.

My attention to detail and rigorous work ethic help me provide the utmost legal representation to a variety of clientele from all walks of life. As an advocate, I take my clients' interests personally and will fight tirelessly to achieve an ideal outcome based on the interests and issues most important to the client at-hand.

Drake University Law School

J.D. (2020) | Law

2017 - 2020

Honors: Dean's Scholarship

Activities: Neal & Bea Smith Advanced Civil Clinic

University of Iowa

B.A. (2017) | Journalism; Sports Studies

2013 - 2017

Honors: Dean's List; Carver Scholar; Adler Scholar

Activities: - University of Iowa Alcohol Reduction & Harm Committee - 2014 Iowa Media Award Recipient - NCAA Championships Swimming & Diving PA Announcer - Roy J. Carver Scholar - Phi Kappa Psi, Iowa Alpha Fraternity - 2016 Grand Arch Council - Social Chairman & Recording Secretary - Recruitment Scholarship Coordinator - Recruitment Scholarship Director - Grant Wood Elementary Volunteer - LGBTQ Safe-Zone Certified - Volunteer Youth Basketball Coach

Legal Intern

Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission

2019 - 2020

Created the Approved Wagering List used by licensed sports wagering operators and casinos; aided Commission Administrator in approval process of new wagering requests • Interpreted statutes and rules regarding sports wagering and served as a contact point for sportsbooks, international integrity monitoring companies, and professional sports leagues

Student Attorney

Drake Legal Clinic

2019 - 2020

• Advocated in divorce mediation for non-English speaking client, successfully acquiring primary custody of adolescent children and substantial monthly marital and child support • Obtained considerable visit time for formerly estranged mother in custody trial against opposing party and custodial parent father’s wishes • Secured sizeable child support amount and sole physical custody of children in temporary matters hearing for domestically-abused client suffering from severe trauma • Wrote demand letters and stopped aggressive landlord from attempting to extort unnecessary payments from developmentally delayed military veteran tenant

Grassley visits Relco Locomotives

Albia Newspapers

June 6, 2014

LGBTQ+ Safe-Zone Certified

LGBTQ+ Iowa

2013

Outstanding Council Member

University of Iowa Fraternity & Sorority Life

2016

As the President of the University of Iowa's Interfraternity Council for 2016, I received the award for Outstanding Council Member.

Iowa Media Award: Outstanding Broadcast

Iowa High School Athletic Association

2014

Our broadcasts of Albia Blue Demons' sports at KIIC 96.7 Radio received a 2014 Iowa Media Award from the IHSAA for Outstanding Broadcast.

Iowa State Bar

Member

Current

Iowa Association for Justice

Member

Current

Iowa

Supreme Court of Iowa

ID Number: AT0014478

Since 2020

• Free Consultation
• Credit Cards Accepted
• Contingent Fees
  Personal Injury cases only

Family Law

Adoption, Child Custody, Child Support, Father's Rights, Guardianship & Conservatorship, Paternity, Prenups & Marital Agreements, Restraining Orders, Same Sex Family Law

Criminal Law

Criminal Appeals, Drug Crimes, Expungement, Fraud, Gun Crimes, Internet Crimes, Sex Crimes, Theft, Violent Crimes

Probate

Probate Administration, Probate Litigation, Will Contests

Q. Adultery in the state of Iowa

October 11, 2021

A: Iowa is a "no-fault" state, meaning that adultery, etc., cannot be used against an opposing party in divorce proceedings. Additionally, Iowa is a "marital property" state, meaning that any assets, aside from specific exemptions (including inheritances kept in separate accounts), acquired during the marriage are considered to be property of both parties in the marriage. Generally speaking, parties pay for their own attorney's fees in Iowa divorce actions. There are variances to this which can lead to one party being tabbed with the other's bill or portions of the bill, but typically a party is responsible for the fees that they have generated with their own attorney in the divorce.

Q. AFFIRMED IN PART AND REVERSED IN PART.What does that mean?

November 9, 2020

A: When a ruling has been appealed and is "Affirmed in Part and Reversed in Part", it means that a portion of the appealed ruling has been affirmed, meaning confirmed here; and part of the appealed ruling has been Reversed, meaning that part of the original ruling is no longer valid. I would need more context to determine what the meaning of the affirmation & reversal in part mean specifically for your case.

Q. my soon to be ex wife has let a multiple time felon move in before divorce is over. can i get custody of my children

November 5, 2020

A: Do you currently have an attorney for the ongoing divorce? Or has this divorce process not yet started? If you have not retained an attorney or started the divorce process, I advise seeking one ASAP and having them file for divorce. From there, after some administrative hoops are jumped through and your ex-to-be has been served notice of the divorce proceedings, your attorney can ask the court for a hearing on temporary matters -- your fear for your children's safety around this new boyfriend of your ex-to-be could bode well for you in regards to acquiring custody in the temporary matters hearing. There are many factors the Court will consider in making these determinations. It is absolutely possible for you to get custody, as the Court will do its best to decide what is in the best interest of the children. As for keeping the new boyfriend away from your children, if and when they are with your ex-to-be, this would be more difficult unless he has put them in harm's way or unless the Court finds that he is unfit to be around the children. Again, I would advise contacting an attorney ASAP as these are issues that family law attorneys deal with regularly.