Iowa Supreme Court · No. 24-0509
Iowa Northern Railway Company v. Floyd County Board of Supervisors and Cerro Gordo County Board of Supervisors, acting as Trustees for Joint Drainage District Nos. 6 and 56
Decided December 19, 2025 · appeal from Floyd County · Government
What the court decided
AI summary A drainage district wanted to drill a pipe through a railroad embankment to improve water drainage, but a court had previously blocked this action. The district argued that federal law prevented them from forcing the railroad to build a culvert. The Iowa Supreme Court overturned the previous decisions and sent the case back to the lower court for further review.1
Result: Decision of Court of Appeals Vacated; District Court Judgment Reversed and Case Remanded
The court’s own summary
Defendant drainage district appeals a writ of mandamus prohibiting it from boring a drainpipe through a railroad embankment to increase the surface water drainage through the embankment. Defendant contends the district court erred in finding defendant’s obligation to construct a culvert through the embankment was preempted by federal law. The court of appeals affirmed. Defendant seeks further review.
Holding: A joint drainage district seeks further review of a court of appeals decision that affirmed a writ of mandamus prohibiting the drainage district from requiring a railroad to construct a new culvert through a railroad embankment. Decision of Court of Appeals Vacated; District Court Judgment Reversed and Case Remanded.
Judges
- Written by Justice Matthew McDermott
- Trial judge: Colleen D. Weiland, Floyd County
Iowa Code it cites
Each links to the bills that change that chapter.