Opinion ID: 1614471
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Jurisdictional Questions.

Text: Before considering the issues which petitioner urges on appeal, we first consider two jurisdictional questions relating to the proceedings in the district court. The first of these two questions concerns respondent's claim that the district court lacked jurisdiction to consider the petition for judicial review because the caption of that petition was entitled Before the Commissioner of Insurance of the State of Iowa. The petition was filed with the clerk of the Iowa District Court for Polk County and specifically designated that court in the body of the petition as the forum which was to act on the petition. This jurisdictional claim was not raised in the district court, and respondent filed an answer to the petition and prayed for an order of the court affirming the final agency action. It is respondent's claim on appeal that the issue is one of subject-matter jurisdiction which may be raised at any time. `Subject-matter jurisdiction means the power to hear and determine cases of the general class to which the proceedings belong.' Powell v. Khodari-Intergreen Co., 303 N.W.2d 171, 173 (Iowa 1981), quoting Wederath v. Brant, 287 N.W.2d 591, 594 (Iowa 1980). See In re Estate of Dull, 303 N.W.2d 402, 406 (Iowa 1981); 20 Am.Jur.2d Courts § 88 (1965); 21 C.J.S. Courts § 105 (1940). The fact the caption fails to correctly designate the court where the petition is filed does not defeat the subject matter jurisdiction of the district court to review final agency action under Iowa Code section 17A.19 (1981). Respondent may not raise this issue for the first time on appeal. The second jurisdictional issue which we face is one which we requested the parties to address by a presubmission order. The record initially contained no indication of the required mailing of the petition for judicial review to the necessary parties. Since the time of our presubmission order questioning this deficiency, an affidavit of mailing has been included in the record which, together with certified mail receipts, shows compliance with the mailing requirements of Iowa Code section 17A.19(2) (1981).