Robert Gast, currently deputy court administrator in Nebraska’s Fourth District, has been named state court administrator for the Iowa Judicial Branch. The state court administrator is responsible for the day-to-day management of Iowa’s state court system. Gast, who was born in Fort Dodge and graduated from Stuart-Menlo High School, has 15 years of court administration experience. He served in the U.S. Army from 1992-97. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Maryland. Gast begins his new job on Oct. 11.