DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court is letting the 2018 appointment of an eastern Iowa district court judge by Gov. Kim Reynolds stand, ending a three-year controversy over whether Reynolds had missed the legal deadline for appointing the judge. The court concluded in a ruling Friday that since former Iowa Supreme Court Justice Mark Cady deferred to Reynolds, who claimed she verbally appointed Judge Jason Besler by the legal deadline, the court shouldn’t intervene.

Attorney Gary Dickey had challenged the appointment, saying Besler was improperly appointed and potentially should be removed. In making its ruling, the Iowa Supreme Court dismisses the case.