Raymond Slach and Nancy Slach, plaintiffs-appellees/cross-appellants v. Russell J. Heick, defendant-appellant/cross-appellee.
15-1460
| Iowa Ct. App. | Aug 17, 2016Background
- Plaintiffs Raymond and Nancy Slach leased land to Heick for farming operations.
- Heick is defendant and appealed a damages award for lost profits from plowing cornstalks on the leased land.
- The district court awarded Heick $4,320, based on 64 acres plowed, and rejected Heick’s claim for $5,670 (84 acres).
- The Slachs cross-appealed arguing the district court should deduct replacement fertilizer costs from Heick’s damages.
- Appellate court affirmed the damages calculation and the fertilizer-deduction ruling, adopting the lower-acre figure and Slach I’s guidance on the fertilizer issue.
- This is an appeal from a Johnson County, Iowa, district-court damages order related to a prior rent dispute.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damages based on acres plowed. | Heick: 84 acres plowed; damages should reflect 84 acres. | Slachs: only 64 acres were tilled; damages should reflect 64 acres. | 64 acres supported; damages affirmed. |
| Deduction of replacement fertilizer costs. | Heick: fertilizer costs should be deducted from damages. | Slachs: fertilizer deduction already resolved by Slach I; not additional. | Affirmed the fertilizer-deduction ruling per Slach I. |
Key Cases Cited
- Van Sloun v. Agans Bros. Inc., 778 N.W.2d 174 (Iowa 2010) (trial findings on damages reviewed for substantial-evidence support)