National Farmers Union Property & Casualty Co. v. Nelson

By action in equity plaintiff seeks contribution from defendants for one half of plaintiff’s expenditures incident to settlement of a lawsuit. Plaintiff claims that in the accident giving rise to the expenditures defendants Nelson were joint tort-feasors and resultantly liable for contribution. One aspect of the case was before us in Pedersen v. Bring, 254 Iowa 288, 117 N.W.2d 509. We there held that the instrument entitled “Covenant Not To Sue” was not, as a matter of law, such a full release as to release others claimed to be liable.

The background factual situation in the present…