Durst Ex Rel. Durst v. Roach

I. The principles of law involved in this case are well established, and the parties are not in controversy over them. For the most part, there was little dispute about the facts. Trial was had in the district court as in equity, and it is reviewed here de novo. We stated in Barnett v. Blakley, 202 Iowa 1, 5, 209 N.W. 412, 414: “As now used and recognized, in eases involving the custody of children, the writ of habeas corpus operates to invoke the broad powers of the court of an equitable nature, to determine the question of custody of a minor child according as the welfare and best interests…