Wilson v. Iowa District Court

UHLENHOPP, Justice.

We granted a writ of certiorari to determine whether a district judge possesses subject matter jurisdiction to hear and decide an appeal from a judgment rendered by a district associate judge in a civil action which began as a small claim but was later transferred and then tried by regular proceedings. The case is governed by statutes which appear in the Code of 1979.

James Wilson had a garage with a leaky roof. Paul T. Rentzel contracted with him to repair the roof for $1250. Rentzel worked on the roof but the leaks continued; he then did additional work but still did not…