Opinion ID: 1574529
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Motions to Dismiss Generally.

Text: A court can grant a motion to dismiss if the plaintiff fails to state a claim upon which any relief may be granted. Iowa R. Civ. P. 1.421(1) ( f ). On appeal we review a district court's ruling on a motion to dismiss for correction of errors at law. See Iowa R.App. P. 6.4; see also Mlynarik v. Bergantzel, 675 N.W.2d 584, 586 (Iowa 2004). A court cannot consider factual allegations contained in the motion or the documents attached to the motion. Berger v. Gen. United Group, Inc., 268 N.W.2d 630, 634 (Iowa 1978). The court must ignore these facts, except those of which the court may take judicial notice. Winneshiek Mut. Ins. Ass'n v. Roach, 257 Iowa 354, 365, 132 N.W.2d 436, 443 (1965). In determining whether to grant the motion to dismiss, a court views the well-pled facts of the petition in the light most favorable to the plaintiff, resolving any doubts in the plaintiff's favor. Rees v. City of Shenandoah, 682 N.W.2d 77, 79 (Iowa 2004). The purpose of the motion is to test the legal sufficiency of the petition. Berger, 268 N.W.2d at 634. We have previously discussed the pitfalls a party encounters when a person files a motion to dismiss. Cutler v. Klass, Whicher, & Mishne, 473 N.W.2d 178, 181 (Iowa 1991). There we stated: We recognize the temptation is strong for a defendant to strike a vulnerable petition at the earliest opportunity. Experience has however taught us that vast judicial resources could be saved with the exercise of more professional patience. Under [our rule governing motions to dismiss] dismissals of many of the weakest cases must be reversed on appeal. Two appeals often result where one would have sufficed had the defense moved by way of summary judgment, or even by way of defense at trial. From a defendant's standpoint, moreover, it is far from unknown for the flimsiest of cases to gain strength when its dismissal is reversed on appeal. Id. In other words, a court will rarely dismiss a petition for a failure to state a claim upon which any relief may be granted. Id ; see also Am. Nat'l Bank v. Sivers, 387 N.W.2d 138, 140 (Iowa 1986) (stating it is a rare case which will not survive a [motion to dismiss]).