Opinion ID: 1625752
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: Cook and Webster contend that we lack subject matter jurisdiction of this appeal because it was not filed within thirty days of the judgment in the first half of the bifurcated trial. Pundzak responds that the appeal is timely because it was taken within thirty days of the judgment in the later declaratory judgment action. A judgment is not final unless the rights of the parties have been fully determined. Decatur-Moline Corp. v. Blink, 283 N.W.2d 347, 349 (Iowa 1979). When the actions are bifurcated, an appeal is timely if it is from the judgment that finally determines the rights of the parties, a rule necessary to prevent piecemeal appeals. Poulsen v. Russell, 300 N.W.2d 289, 293 (Iowa 1981). We conclude that we have jurisdiction because the appeal was taken within the time allowed following the declaratory judgment.