As used in this chapter, unless the context shall require otherwise, the following terms shall
have the meanings ascribed to them by this section:
1. “Birthing hospital” means a private or public hospital licensed pursuant to chapter 135B
that has a licensed obstetric unit or is licensed to provide obstetric services, or a licensed
birthing center associated with a hospital.
2. “Child” includes but shall not be limited to a stepchild, foster child, or legally adopted
child and means a child actually or apparently under eighteen years of age, and a dependent
person eighteen years of age or over who is unable to maintain the person’s self and is likely
to become a public charge.
3. “Court” shall mean and include any court upon which jurisdiction has been conferred
to determine the liability of persons for the support of dependents.
4. “Dependent” shall mean and include a spouse, child, mother, father, grandparent, or
grandchild who is in need of and entitled to support from a person who is declared to be
legally liable for such support.
5. “Institution” means a birthing hospital.
6. “Party” means a petitioner, a respondent, or a person who intervenes in a proceeding
instituted under this chapter.
7. “Petitioner” includes each dependent person for whom support is sought in a
proceeding instituted pursuant to this chapter or a mother or putative father of a dependent.
However, in an action brought by child support services, the state is the petitioner.\n\nTue Dec 09 22:19:53 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 252A (27, 0)
§252A.2, SUPPORT OF DEPENDENTS 2\n\n 8. “Petitioner’s representative” includes counsel of a dependent person for whom support
is sought and counsel for a mother or putative father of a dependent. In an action brought
by child support services, “petitioner’s representative” includes a county attorney, state’s
attorney, and any other public officer, by whatever title the officer’s public office may be
known, charged by law with the duty of instituting, maintaining, or prosecuting a proceeding
under this chapter or under the laws of the state.
9. “Putative father” means a man who is alleged to be or who claims to be the biological
father of a child born to a woman to whom the man is not married at the time of the birth of
the child.
10. “Respondent” includes each person against whom a proceeding is instituted pursuant
to this chapter. “Respondent” may include the mother or the putative father of a dependent.
11. “State registrar” means state registrar as defined in section 144.1.
[C50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §252A.2; 82 Acts, ch 1004, §6, 7]
93 Acts, ch 79, §11; 94 Acts, ch 1171, §10, 11; 97 Acts, ch 175, §9; 2002 Acts, ch 1162, §78;
2015 Acts, ch 110, §77; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §838
\n
Notes of Decisions
Davis Ex Rel. Grant v. Davis, 67 N.W.2d 566 (Iowa 1954).
· cites it 36× “Section 252A.2(1) defines "state" as used in chapter 252A as "any state, territory or possession of the United States and the District of Columbia.”
Stearns v. Kean, 303 N.W.2d 408 (Iowa 1981).
· cites it 4× “5(5) provides: Whenever the state or a political subdivision thereof furnishes support to a dependent, it has the same right through proceedings instituted by the petitioner’s representative to invoke the provisions hereof as the dependent to whom the support was furnished, for…”
Callender v. Skiles, 591 N.W.2d 182 (Iowa 1999).
· cites it 2× “§ 252A.2(9). Thus, our task is to determine whether Charles has a cause of action under chapter 600B.”
State Ex Rel. Warren v. Mahan, 329 N.W.2d 673 (Iowa 1983).
· cites it 8× “Iowa Code § 252A.2(4). Because the dependent child’s mother in the present case does not qualify as a “dependent” within the foregoing definition, we believe that it necessarily follows that she may not be a petitioner.”
In Re the Marriage of Stutsman, 311 N.W.2d 73 (Iowa 1981).
· cites it 4× “6(1) the proceeding may be commenced by the “petitioner” (defined as the dependent person, see section 252A.2(5)) or the “petitioner’s representative” (which includes a corporation counsel, county attorney, state’s attorney, and other public officers, see section 252A.”
In Re the Marriage of Fields, 508 N.W.2d 730 (Iowa 1993).
· cites it 4× “As mentioned, Loren sought the same relief on a second theory, a statutory claim under Iowa Code chapter 252A. The trial court dismissed the statutory claim because Loren brought it in his own name, not the children’s.”
Johnson v. Louis, 654 N.W.2d 886 (Iowa 2002).
· cites it 2× “Subsections (1) and (2) of section 252A.2 do distinguish between parents who have been married (and thus obtained a status of a “spouse”) and other parents.”
Kelley v. Iowa Dep't of Soc. Servs., 197 N.W.2d 192 (Iowa 1972).
· cites it 4× “But as to his obligation in that situation, see Code, 1971, §§ 252A.2(3), 252A.3(1), and Gerdes v. Weiser, 54 Iowa 591, 593 , 7 N.”
Foreman v. Wilcox, 305 N.W.2d 703 (Iowa 1981).
· cites it 3× “Bastards § 114 (1938), and may also make a determination regarding support after age eighteen under section 252A.2(3). We direct the district court to enter a supplemental decree in accordance with this opinion.”
Peters v. Peters, 86 N.W.2d 206 (Iowa 1957).
· cites it 4× “Subsection 7 of section 252A.2 states petitioner’s representative shall mean a county attorney or other public officer charged by law with the duty of handling such proceedings.”
Engelson v. Mallea, 180 N.W.2d 127 (Iowa 1970).
· cites it 3× “See the definition of “child” in § 252A.2(3); and Op. Iowa Atty.Gen., 185 (1968).”
— Iowa Code § 252A.2(1) — 2 cases
Davis Ex Rel. Grant v. Davis, 67 N.W.2d 566 (Iowa 1954).
“Section 252A.2(1) defines "state" as used in chapter 252A as "any state, territory or possession of the United States and the District of Columbia.”
Stearns v. Kean, 303 N.W.2d 408 (Iowa 1981).
“5(5) provides: Whenever the state or a political subdivision thereof furnishes support to a dependent, it has the same right through proceedings instituted by the petitioner’s representative to invoke the provisions hereof as the dependent to whom the support was furnished, for…”
— Iowa Code § 252A.2(10) — 1 case
— Iowa Code § 252A.2(2) — 2 cases
Davis Ex Rel. Grant v. Davis, 67 N.W.2d 566 (Iowa 1954).
“Section 252A.2(1) defines "state" as used in chapter 252A as "any state, territory or possession of the United States and the District of Columbia.”
— Iowa Code § 252A.2(3) — 5 cases
Kelley v. Iowa Dep't of Soc. Servs., 197 N.W.2d 192 (Iowa 1972).
“But as to his obligation in that situation, see Code, 1971, §§ 252A.2(3), 252A.3(1), and Gerdes v. Weiser, 54 Iowa 591, 593 , 7 N.”
Engelson v. Mallea, 180 N.W.2d 127 (Iowa 1970).
“See the definition of “child” in § 252A.2(3); and Op. Iowa Atty.Gen., 185 (1968).”
Foreman v. Wilcox, 305 N.W.2d 703 (Iowa 1981).
“Bastards § 114 (1938), and may also make a determination regarding support after age eighteen under section 252A.2(3). We direct the district court to enter a supplemental decree in accordance with this opinion.”
— Iowa Code § 252A.2(4) — 3 cases
Davis Ex Rel. Grant v. Davis, 67 N.W.2d 566 (Iowa 1954).
“Section 252A.2(1) defines "state" as used in chapter 252A as "any state, territory or possession of the United States and the District of Columbia.”
State Ex Rel. Warren v. Mahan, 329 N.W.2d 673 (Iowa 1983).
“Iowa Code § 252A.2(4). Because the dependent child’s mother in the present case does not qualify as a “dependent” within the foregoing definition, we believe that it necessarily follows that she may not be a petitioner.”
Peters v. Peters, 86 N.W.2d 206 (Iowa 1957).
“Subsection 7 of section 252A.2 states petitioner’s representative shall mean a county attorney or other public officer charged by law with the duty of handling such proceedings.”
— Iowa Code § 252A.2(5) — 8 cases
In Re the Marriage of Stutsman, 311 N.W.2d 73 (Iowa 1981).
“6(1) the proceeding may be commenced by the “petitioner” (defined as the dependent person, see section 252A.2(5)) or the “petitioner’s representative” (which includes a corporation counsel, county attorney, state’s attorney, and other public officers, see section 252A.”
In Re the Marriage of Fields, 508 N.W.2d 730 (Iowa 1993).
“As mentioned, Loren sought the same relief on a second theory, a statutory claim under Iowa Code chapter 252A. The trial court dismissed the statutory claim because Loren brought it in his own name, not the children’s.”
Stearns v. Kean, 303 N.W.2d 408 (Iowa 1981).
“5(5) provides: Whenever the state or a political subdivision thereof furnishes support to a dependent, it has the same right through proceedings instituted by the petitioner’s representative to invoke the provisions hereof as the dependent to whom the support was furnished, for…”
State Ex Rel. Warren v. Mahan, 329 N.W.2d 673 (Iowa 1983).
“Iowa Code § 252A.2(4). Because the dependent child’s mother in the present case does not qualify as a “dependent” within the foregoing definition, we believe that it necessarily follows that she may not be a petitioner.”
— Iowa Code § 252A.2(6) — 1 case
In Re the Marriage of Fields, 508 N.W.2d 730 (Iowa 1993).
“As mentioned, Loren sought the same relief on a second theory, a statutory claim under Iowa Code chapter 252A. The trial court dismissed the statutory claim because Loren brought it in his own name, not the children’s.”
— Iowa Code § 252A.2(7) — 5 cases
Davis Ex Rel. Grant v. Davis, 67 N.W.2d 566 (Iowa 1954).
“Section 252A.2(1) defines "state" as used in chapter 252A as "any state, territory or possession of the United States and the District of Columbia.”
In Re the Marriage of Stutsman, 311 N.W.2d 73 (Iowa 1981).
“6(1) the proceeding may be commenced by the “petitioner” (defined as the dependent person, see section 252A.2(5)) or the “petitioner’s representative” (which includes a corporation counsel, county attorney, state’s attorney, and other public officers, see section 252A.”
Stearns v. Kean, 303 N.W.2d 408 (Iowa 1981).
“5(5) provides: Whenever the state or a political subdivision thereof furnishes support to a dependent, it has the same right through proceedings instituted by the petitioner’s representative to invoke the provisions hereof as the dependent to whom the support was furnished, for…”
State Ex Rel. Warren v. Mahan, 329 N.W.2d 673 (Iowa 1983).
“Iowa Code § 252A.2(4). Because the dependent child’s mother in the present case does not qualify as a “dependent” within the foregoing definition, we believe that it necessarily follows that she may not be a petitioner.”
— Iowa Code § 252A.2(8) — 1 case
Davis Ex Rel. Grant v. Davis, 67 N.W.2d 566 (Iowa 1954).
“Section 252A.2(1) defines "state" as used in chapter 252A as "any state, territory or possession of the United States and the District of Columbia.”
— Iowa Code § 252A.2(9) — 1 case
Callender v. Skiles, 591 N.W.2d 182 (Iowa 1999).
“§ 252A.2(9). Thus, our task is to determine whether Charles has a cause of action under chapter 600B.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the
Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and
treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.