An Iowa counterclaim against plaintiff(s) is a legal action brought by a defendant in a civil lawsuit in the state of Iowa. It is a form of defensive pleading that allows a defendant to make claims against the plaintiff. The defendant asserts that the plaintiff is liable to them for damages that arose out of the same incident or set of facts that is the basis of the plaintiff's original claim. There are two types of Iowa counterclaims: compulsory and permissive. A compulsory counterclaim is one that arises out of the same transaction or occurrence as the plaintiff's claim and must be asserted in the same lawsuit or be lost forever. A permissive counterclaim arises from the same transaction or occurrence but does not have to be asserted in the same lawsuit and can be brought in a separate action. The purpose of a counterclaim is to ensure that all issues between the parties are resolved in one lawsuit. By bringing a counterclaim, the defendant is able to assert their own claims and seek relief against the plaintiff.