Iowa Code
Iowa Code § 616.20 (2026)
Right of nonresident defendant
✓ current as of July 2026
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Where an action provided for in sections 616.17 and 616.19 is against several defendants, some of whom are residents and others nonresidents of the county, and the action is dismissed as to the residents, or judgment is rendered in their favor, or there is a failure to obtain judgment against such residents, such nonresidents may, upon motion, have said cause dismissed, with reasonable compensation for trouble and expense in attending at the wrong county, unless they, having appeared to the action, fail to object before judgment is rendered against them. [C73, §2587; C97, §3502; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §11051; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §616.20]
\nNotes of Decisions
Cited in 6
cases, 1952–2011 · leading case: Tull v. Honda Rsch. & Dev., Ltd., 469 N.W.2d 683 (Iowa 1991).
Tull v. Honda Rsch. & Dev., Ltd., 469 N.W.2d 683 (Iowa 1991). “However, section 616.20 is expressly limited to actions brought pursuant to section 616.”
Reimers v. Honeywell, Inc., 457 N.W.2d 336 (Iowa 1990). “After Iowa Supply was granted summary judgment Poweshiek moved for dismissal pursuant to Iowa Code section 616.20. 1 There may be alternative grounds to support the trial court’s rejection of the motion.”
Charles Furnald v. Anthony Hughes & Emcasco Ins. Co., 804 N.W.2d 273 (Iowa 2011). “; see Iowa Code § 616.20 . Although venue was no longer proper, the court held that the plaintiffs were entitled to the benefit of the savings statute because they were not negligent in settling their claims against the corporate defendants.”
Peters Ex Rel. Peters v. Vander Kooi, 494 N.W.2d 708 (Iowa 1993). “Under the circumstances involved in Reimers , dismissal and refiling was mandated because of the language contained in Iowa Code section 616.20 (1989). In the present case, the statute that allowed the initial change of venue to Cherokee County does not implicate section 616.”
Glatstein v. Grund, 51 N.W.2d 162 (Iowa 1952). “20, Code, 1950, which provides, so far as here applicable, that when a personal action is against several defendants, some of whom are residents and others nonresidents of the county, and there is a failure to obtain judgment against such residents, such nonresidents may, upon…”
Uttecht v. Ahrens, 312 N.W.2d 571 (Iowa 1981). “Defendants argue that rule 217, in excluding dismissals for “improper venue,” does not refer to dismissals under rule 175. They point to language from a comment by the advisory committee on the rules of civil procedure in its final tentative draft, published in 1942.”
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