Opinion ID: 2032873
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Paternity Issues.

Text: The issue of paternity can be determined in cases tried at law under Iowa Code chapter 675. However, proceedings to establish paternity under chapter 675 are not exclusive. See Iowa Code § 675.7 (1987). Paternity can be determined in equity under Iowa Code chapter 252A. See Iowa Code § 252A (1987) (child support and custody); Greenstreet v. Clark, 239 N.W. 2d 143, 147 (Iowa 1976). This is because the issue of paternity is material to the determination of custody and child support. Thus, a jury trial of the paternity issue may be allowed in a traditional paternity action brought under chapter 675 and yet denied in a proceeding for custody and child support under chapter 252A. See State ex rel. Bishop v. Travis, 306 N.W.2d 733, 736 (Iowa 1981). The issue of paternity may also arise in a dissolution of marriage proceeding under Iowa Code chapter 598. See In re Evans, 267 N.W.2d 48, 50-51 (Iowa 1978) (approved submission of paternity issue in a modification proceeding where paternity was not litigated in the original dissolution action); see also In re Schneckloth, 320 N.W.2d 535, 536 (Iowa 1982). The court also has authority under Iowa Code section 598.21 to determine whether the husband is the father. See In re Schneckloth, 320 N.W.2d at 536. In a determination of paternity under chapter 598, there is no entitlement to a jury trial. This review of Iowa law demonstrates that the issue of paternity may properly arise in either a law or equity action, and the alleged father may be entitled to a jury trial in some situations but not in others. Ronald argues that the trial court should not have consolidated the common law marriage issue with the paternity issue. He urges that the paternity issue should be tried separately as a law action to a jury as provided by Iowa Code section 675.18. We have recognized that a defendant has no right to a trial by jury of law issues raised in the answer to an action properly brought in equity. Once equity has obtained jurisdiction of a controversy the court will determine all questions material or necessary to accomplish full and complete justice between the parties, even though in doing so the court may be required to pass upon certain matters ordinarily cognizable at law. See Greenstreet v. Clark, 239 N.W.2d 143, 148 (Iowa 1976) (quoting Grandon v. Ellingson, 259 Iowa 514, 518, 144 N.W.2d 898, 901 (1966)). The paternity issue may be a proper issue for determination in an action for dissolution of marriage under chapter 598. We must determine if the paternity issue is properly considered in a dissolution action under chapter 598 when the court determines that there was not a common law marriage. In Reppert v. Reppert, 214 Iowa 17, 26, 241 N.W. 487, 492 (1932), we held the court had no equitable jurisdiction to determine paternity and award child support where the plaintiff had alleged, but failed to prove, a common law marriage. We found the statutory paternity and child support provisions of the Iowa Code provided a plain, adequate and complete remedy at law. See id. at 26-27, 241 N.W.2d at 492 (citing Iowa Code ch. 544-A1 (1927) (now chapter 675)). When the claim for divorce of a common law marriage was taken out of the plaintiff's case, all grounds for equitable relief were removed. See 214 Iowa at 26-27, 241 N.W. at 492. In Metten v. Benge, 366 N.W.2d 577 (Iowa 1985), we again considered the court's jurisdiction to award child custody and support in an equity action between unmarried cohabitants. As in Reppert, the petitioner had commenced a divorce or dissolution action. On the morning of trial the petitioner amended her petition and alleged the parties had never entered into a statutory or common law marriage. She asked for relief as permitted by chapter 598 and the general equitable powers of the court. Id. at 578. The respondent moved to dismiss because the action was for a dissolution of marriage, even though it was agreed there was no marriage. The trial court overruled the motion and entered a decree dividing property and awarding child custody and support. We affirmed the decree, holding the allegations relating to custody, support, and equitable division of property were sufficient to confer equitable jurisdiction upon the district court. Id. at 579. Here the dissolution of marriage petition requests the court to grant Tambra custody of the child, to equitably divide the property, to order Ronald to pay temporary and permanent child support, to allow temporary attorney fees, and to grant such other just and equitable relief as may be appropriate. The petition was not amended to specifically request general equity powers as in Metten. Ronald objected to the consolidation of the common law marriage issue with the paternity, custody, support, and property division issues. At trial, he also objected to evidence relating to the paternity, custody, support, and property division issues. Ronald urged that if there was no common law marriage, the district court would have no jurisdiction over the paternity issue. Paternity may be determined by the court in an equitable proceeding for dissolution of marriage under chapter 598. See In re Schneckloth, 320 N.W.2d 535, 536 (1982). We have also recognized that the district court has general equitable jurisdiction to enter a decree dividing property and awarding child custody and support between unmarried cohabitants. See id.; see also Metten, 366 N.W.2d at 579. We conclude that this general equitable jurisdiction also includes the determination of the paternity issue in this case. Ronald's motion for separate trial on the paternity issue and request for jury trial was premature. Under the pleadings at that time, he was not entitled to either a separate trial or a jury trial on the paternity issue. The court did not err in its pretrial ruling allowing consolidation of the paternity and common law marriage issues. After trial, the court found the paternity issue was properly before it under its general equity powers. The court concluded it had discretion to retain equity jurisdiction to determine the paternity issue, notwithstanding the fact there was no common law marriage. We agree. We conclude the trial court had general equitable jurisdiction to adjudicate the paternity issue as a logical preliminary issue before determining child custody and support. The court thus made a complete adjudication of all matters properly presented and placed in issue. The court's decree and judgment upon these issues granted the relief requested and thus avoided separate and unnecessary litigation. The evidence in the record is sufficient to establish that Ronald is the father of Ashley and that custody would properly be placed with Tambra.