Opinion ID: 2002697
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Refusal to Permit Amendment Requesting Injunctive and Declaratory Relief.

Text: Finally, we consider plaintiff's contention that he should have been permitted to amend his petition to seek injunctive and declaratory relief against Judge Pasternak in addition to money damages. Plaintiff's request to take such action was made two days prior to the summary judgment hearing. As the district court correctly noted, where a proposed amendment to a petition appears on its face to be legally ineffectual, it is properly denied. See Peterson v. Taylor, 316 N.W.2d 869, 876 (Iowa 1982). At the time the request to amend was made, the actions complained of had been corrected by the order vacating Judge Pasternak's initial sentence. As a result, there was no present justiciable controversy which would be a proper subject for declaratory relief. Moreover, no facts appeared which suggested that plaintiff would be subjected to similar actions by the defendant judge in the future. Therefore, no basis existed for seeking injunctive relief. There was no error in denying the proposed amendment. We have considered all issues presented and all arguments made and find no basis for reversing the judgment of the district court. AFFIRMED.