Opinion ID: 1309366
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Interest on the Damages Awarded to the Luses.

Text: As a final matter, we affirm the action of the district court in deleting the award of interest to the Luses made by the director's designee. The type of relief that courts are authorized to grant in review of agency action is limited by section 17A.19(8), which provides, in part: The court may affirm the agency action or remand to the agency for further proceedings. The court shall reverse, modify, or grant any other appropriate relief from the agency action, equitable or legal, and including declaratory relief, if substantial rights of the petitioner have been prejudiced. When a judgment of a court affirms an agency order for the payment of money, the relief afforded at that stage is to take place through the agency machinery rather than a court process. Similarly, if a decision on judicial review does not affirm the agency action or remand to the agency for further proceedings, it must grant relief by directing the agency to conform its decision to that of the court. As a result, the ultimate relief, be it monetary or of some other nature, is also afforded through the agency machinery rather than by judicial process. In the present case, no statutory authority to award interest on the agency's part has been suggested. In the absence of statutory authority for the agency to award interest, no interest may be imposed by a court until such time as an enforcement order has been sought and obtained from that court. See Klein v. Furnas Elec. Co., 384 N.W.2d 370, 375 (Iowa 1986). We have considered all issues presented and conclude that the judgment of the district court should be affirmed except as to our modification with respect to application of the criminal restitution funds on the cost of constructing the bridge. It is so ordered. Costs of appeal are assessed to Soo Line. AFFIRMED AS MODIFIED. All Justices concur except LARSON, J., who takes no part.