Opinion ID: 2050852
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Was the plea of res adjudicata a good defense to the Amendment alleging the contract to be against public policy?

Text: Rule 105, R.C.P., provides:   It shall enter an appropriate final order    adjudicating the point so determined   . (Italics ours). Such a ruling is the law of the case during further proceedings in the trial in the absence of an appeal under Rule 332. Litchford v. Iowa-Illinois Gas & Electric Co., 247 Iowa 947, 75 N.W.2d 346. A fortiori, a decision of this court on appeal under Rule 332, and a remand for further proceedings in accord therewith, has no less status or effect. It is the law of the case upon a remand and upon further appeals to this court. Lawson v. Fordyce, 237 Iowa 28, 21 N.W.2d 69; Glenn v. Chambers, 244 Iowa 750, 56 N.W. 2d 892. The trial court does not dispute this as an abstract legal proposition, but holds that the validity of the contract was not the point so determined. The issue thus is as to the point so determined. Plaintiffs assert contractual rights based upon the Articles of Incorporation and seeks injunctive relief to protect them. Defendant states no such contract rights and also that if there be such a contract, plaintiffs waived all rights thereunder. Rule 101, R.C.P. requires that any defense in bar or abatement that a contract sued upon is void or voidable must be specifically pleaded. Rule 103, R.C.P. provides that any defense in bar or abatement shall be made in the answer or reply. In considering this rule we have held it to mean that a party to litigation may not split his cause of action and try it piecemeal; in other words, he may not present one branch of his case for the court's determination, and, when unsuccessful therein, begin over again presenting some other matter upon which he relies which might have been presented and determined theretofore. Rural Independent School Dis't. No. 3 of Johns Tp. v. McCracken, 215 Iowa 55, 244 N.W. 711; Lynch v. Lynch, 250 Iowa 407, 94 N.W.2d 105. This is exactly what defendant attempts to do. To say, as contended by defendant, and concurred in by the trial court, that the plea of waiver did not concede, at least under such defensesee Rule 72, R.C.P., a valid contract is nonsense. It would reduce Rule 105 to a mere means to obtain an advisory ruling and there would be no end to litigation. Defendant's attempt to switch horses at this stage of the race is untenable. Berger v. Amana Society, 250 Iowa 1060, 95 N.W.2d 909 determined the contract was valid. The plea of res adjudicata constituted a good defense to the amendment and the decree of the trial court upon this issue was erroneous.