Joseph O. Dier v. Cassandra Jo Peters

MANSFIELD, Justice.

This case presents the question whether an individual who made voluntary expenditures based on a mother’s fraudulent representation that he had fathered her child has a cause of action against the mother for recovery of those payments. Because we conclude that such a cause of action is consistent with traditional concepts of common law fraud, there is no prevailing public policy reason against recognizing such a cause of action, and Iowa’s statutes do not speak to the issue, we hold that a cause of action may be pursued. Accordingly, we reverse the judgment of the district…