Opinion ID: 1285713
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Postfiling Conduct.

Text: Glandon urges rule 80(a) and section 619.19 impose a continuing obligation upon counsel. Even if the court should determine reasonable inquiry of the law and facts had been made at the time of filing the petition, Glandon argues Mathias's counsel had a duty to dismiss the lawsuit when he learned his client had no case. To persist with the mental illness claim beyond a point where that allegation could no longer be considered well founded would be a violation of the Iowa rule and statute. He urges the imposition of a continuing duty is compatible with the intent of the rule and statute to address the evil they seek to eliminate. The trial court recognized plaintiffs' counsel became aware that there was no factual basis for the mental illness claim and that the subsequent conduct unduly prolonged the litigation period. However, the district court held there was no continuing duty under our sanction rule and statute. We agree. We find the plain meaning of the language of the rule and statute clearly expresses an intent that the court evaluate the signer's conduct at the time of signing the pleading, motion, or other paper. The purpose of the rule and statute was to eliminate abuses in the signing of pleadings, motions, and other papers filed in court proceedings. The sanctions provided are imposed upon the person signing, the represented party, or both. Although the rule and statute focus upon the event of signing, we recognize that in most cases there will be a series of filings. They may indicate a pattern of conduct. The provisions of our rule and statute would apply to each paper signed and would require that each filing reflect a reasonable inquiry. Other sanctions are available to address abusive tactics not related to the signing of pleadings, motions, and other papers. Cf. Iowa R.Civ. P. 122, 125, 134, 136, 140, 157. This construction of our rule and statute is supported by federal circuit court decisions based upon federal rule 11. Thomas v. Capital Sec. Serv., Inc., 836 F.2d 866, 874 (5th Cir.1988); Pantry Queen Foods, Inc. v. Lifschultz Fast Freight, Inc., 809 F.2d 451, 454 (7th Cir.1987); Oliveri v. Thompson, 803 F.2d 1265, 1274 (2d Cir. 1986), cert. denied, 480 U.S. 918, 107 S.Ct. 1373, 94 L.Ed.2d 689 (1987). AFFIRMED. All Justices concur except LAVORATO, who takes no part.