Opinion ID: 2227701
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Motion for Default

Text: Metzger claims the district court should have granted his motion for default. We review the denial of the motion for default for the correction of errors at law. See Iowa R.App. P. 4. In his oral motion for a default judgment, Metzger asserted a default was proper because the Sears failed to respond to his petition for intervention. Former Iowa Rule of Civil Procedure 76 [1] governed the procedure for intervention and provided as follows: Every intervenor shall file a petition, and a separate copy for each party against whom he asserts a right. The clerk shall transmit such copy to the attorney for the adversary party, who shall, without further notice, move or plead thereto within seven days from the date of filing unless the court fixes a shorter time and notice thereof is given. Rule 76 clearly required a responsive pleading which the Sears did not file. The Sears contend we need not determine the effect of this omission because Metzger's appeal of this issue was untimely. They claim more than thirty days elapsed between the court's denial of the motion and Metzger's filing of a notice of appeal. An appeal must normally be taken within thirty days from the entry of the order, judgment, or decree. Iowa R.App. P. 5. However, rule 5(b)provides an order disposing of fewer than all of the issues in a suit may be appealed within the time for an appeal from the order, judgment, or decree finally disposing of the action as to the remaining issues. A final judgment is one which conclusively adjudicates all of the rights of the parties and places it beyond the power of the court to return the parties to their original positions. Ahls v. Sherwood/Division of Harsco Corp., 473 N.W.2d 619, 621 (Iowa 1991). We conclude the denial of a motion for a default judgment is not a final order from which Metzger was required to seek an immediate appeal in order to preserve his right to appellate review. The court's order did not conclusively adjudicate the rights of the parties; it simply allowed the action to proceed. Therefore, Metzger's appeal on this issue is timely pursuant to Iowa Rule of Appellate Procedure 5(b) Having determined his appeal was timely, we now turn to whether the district court should have granted Metzger's motion for default. Metzger made his motion for default judgment orally, at the hearing on his motion to dissolve the temporary injunction. Metzger cited no authority and we are aware of none which holds the failure to file a response to a petition for intervention supports the entry of a default judgment. We affirm the trial court's denial of this motion.