Lake v. Butcher

Laura Lake brought this action to establish that Steven Butcher is the father of her minor child. The trial court denied Butcher's motion to dismiss. Butcher did not answer. Eventually, an order of default and a default judgment were entered, determining that Butcher is the child's father and providing for custody, visitation, and child support. Butcher appeals; we affirm.

The undisputed facts are that the parties were married during March 1978 in Minnesota and divorced in Iowa in 1980. They were separated from mid-1978 on, except for a single 1-month period, commencing November 7, 1978, when…