Court Opinion

ID: 9858769
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 16:37:58.551615+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:55:51.802217
License: Public Domain

McCORMICK, Justice
(concurring specially).
Here the tortfeasor was a principal beneficiary of the trust whose assets were insured by plaintiff. The assets, including the insurance proceeds, have been distributed and the trust has been closed for several years. The tortfeasor made no objection to the trustee’s report or any claim that the present cause of action was an undisclosed asset. Now he seeks to avoid liability for the tort by proving he did more damage than the amount for which the insurer wishes to hold him accountable. In these circumstances, I agree, for the reasons stated by the court, that the real party in interest rule does not bar the present action.
I also adhere to the views expressed in the dissenting opinion in United Security Insurance Co. v. Johnson, 278 N.W.2d 29, 30-32 (Iowa 1979). Those views are consistent with the construction of Iowa R.Civ.P. 2 in M-Z Enterprises, Inc. v. Hawkeye-Security Insurance Company, - N.W.2d -(Iowa 1982), filed separately this date.