Opinion ID: 2066735
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Was ITA's Exclusive Remedy Quo Warranto?

Text: Before we consider the correctness of the district court's summary judgment ruling, we must first decide whether the court properly reached the merits of this case. The City argues the trial court should have granted its motion to dismiss on the basis that ITA's exclusive remedy was quo warranto. Quo warranto is a means of testing the authority of a municipality to act, but not the manner of exercising its authority. 17 Eugene McQuillin, The Law of Municipal Corporations § 50.06, at 559 (3d ed. rev.vol.1993). The City relies on the general rule that where quo warranto is available, it is the exclusive remedy for testing the legality of a municipal body's organization. See Swan Lake Consol. Sch. Dist. v. Consolidated Sch. Dist., 244 Iowa 1269, 1277, 58 N.W.2d 349, 353 (1953); Cook v. Consolidated Sch. Dist., 240 Iowa 744, 751, 38 N.W.2d 265, 268 (1949); 65 Am.Jur.2d Quo Warranto § 7, at 235 (1972). ITA claims quo warranto does not apply here because it is challenging a municipal action, not a municipal organization. See Anderson v. Hadley, 245 Iowa 550, 559-60, 63 N.W.2d 234, 240 (1954) (holding quo warranto is not an exclusive remedy when merely seeking review of two acts of illegality by the school district, rather than the legality of organization of the district). Additionally, ITA relies on Iowa Rule of Civil Procedure 261, which states that [t]he existence of another remedy does not preclude a judgment for declaratory relief in cases where it is appropriate. We need not decide the nature of ITA's challenge because even if quo warranto is available to ITA, that remedy is not exclusive. This conclusion is based on our view that rule 261 changed the common-law exclusivity rule as it applied to declaratory relief. Thus, declaratory relief is appropriate, even if the remedy of quo warranto is also available. See State v. Central States Elec. Co., 238 Iowa 801, 819, 28 N.W.2d 457, 466 (1947) (holding declaratory relief was proper even though the intervenor could have proceeded by quo warranto). Accordingly, the district court correctly denied the City's motion to dismiss.