On November 14, 2002, Linda R. Reade was confirmed by the Senate as a judge for the Northern District of Iowa. Judge Reade was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She later moved to Iowa and received her bachelor's degree in biology from Drake University (Des Moines) in 1970. She went on to receive a master's degree in higher education administration from Iowa State University in 1973. In 1980, she graduated with honors and Order of the Coif from Drake University Law School.

After graduating from law school, she went to work as an associate at the firm of Brown, Winick, Graves, Donnelly & Baskerville. From 1981 to 1984, she worked as an associate at the firm of Rosenberg and Margulies. In 1984, she became a partner in the firm of Rosenberg, Rosenberg & Reade.

From 1986 to 1993, she worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, where she prosecuted white-collar crimes, federal tax offenses, bank robberies, controlled substances offenses, and arson. From 1990 to 1993, she served as Chief of the Criminal Division. She received commendations for her work from the U.S. Department of Justice, the Iowa Firemen's Association, and the American Library Association. In 1993 the Executive Office for United States Attorneys presented her with an award in recognition of her managerial skills.

In 1993 she became a judge for the Iowa District Court for Polk County, where she has served until becoming a U.S. District Court Judge. As a judge for Polk County she oversaw a diverse docket with cases that addressed complex tort and business litigation, family and juvenile matters, and criminal prosecutions.

During the course of her legal career, Judge Reade also found time to teach. She taught in trial techniques programs at Drake University Law School in Iowa and at Emory Law School in Georgia. While working at the U.S. Attorney's Office, she taught segments of courses for the U.S. Department of Justice and for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Judge Reade has also given her time to the legal community by serving on the Iowa State Bar Association Jury Instruction Committee and the Annual Meeting committee. She is a former director of the Iowa Judges' Association, and until her appointment as a federal district court judge she served as co-chair of the Iowa Judges' Association Education Committee.

Judge Reade was sworn in on November 26, 2002, and her investiture took place on January 24, 2003. Welcome, Judge Reade!