Opinion ID: 2187966
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Jurisdiction to Consider the Appeal.

Text: Although not argued by the parties we are obliged to satisfy ourselves as to our jurisdiction to consider the present appeal under Iowa Rule of Appellate Procedure 1. The petition for declaratory judgment which presented the claims decided by the district court was in several counts presenting three unrelated claims. Only one of these claims was heard and determined prior to the notice of appeal. Ordinarily, piecemeal adjudication of an action for declaratory judgment would not present a final judgment for purposes of appeal. In the present case, however, the petition for declaratory judgment was filed in the estate of Bonnie Jean Mack and docketed in probate as permitted by Iowa Code section 633.11 (1983). We have recognized that under Iowa Code section 633.36 all orders of the court in probate proceedings are final judgments if entered on notice and hearing. In the Matter of the Estate of Young, 273 N.W.2d 388, 391 (Iowa 1978). The present appeal is from such an order and, as a result, we may consider it without regard to the final disposition of the other issues in the petition for declaratory judgment.