1 / 18

FINDINGS OF FACT & CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

FINDINGS OF FACT & CONCLUSIONS OF LAW. Albert Diaz Special Superior Court Judge Sanford L. Steelman Judge, N.C. Court of Appeals. Purpose of FOF/COL. Dispose of issues raised by pleadings Collateral estoppel/res judicata Evoke care on part of trial judge

byoung
Download Presentation

FINDINGS OF FACT & CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. FINDINGS OF FACT & CONCLUSIONS OF LAW • Albert Diaz • Special Superior Court Judge • Sanford L. Steelman • Judge, N.C. Court of Appeals

  2. Purpose of FOF/COL • Dispose of issues raised by pleadings • Collateral estoppel/res judicata • Evoke care on part of trial judge • Allow for meaningful appellate review

  3. General Principles • Considering Evidence/De Novo Review • Accepted Facts/Appellate Court

  4. What is Required? • Find Facts • Declare Conclusion • Enter Judgment

  5. WHEN REQUIRED?

  6. CRIMINAL CASES • Motions to Suppress Evidence (N.C.G.S. § 15A-977(f)) • Proceedings re Capacity (N.C.G.S. § 15A-1001-09) • Mistrials (N.C.G.S. § 15A-1064) • MAR (N.C.G.S. § 15A-1420) • Contempt (N.C.G.S. § 5A-14 & 15) • Delayed Rulings

  7. CIVIL CASES

  8. N.C.R. Civ. P. 52 • FOF/COL mandatory for bench trials • Rule 41(b) Dismissals • Requires FOF/COL • Court to consider and weigh all competent evidence • Directed verdict does not apply • Discretionary FOF/COL • Standard on appeal

  9. Timing of Request • Relevant Deadline: Entry of written Order

  10. Preparation of Order • May request/adopt proposed FOF/COL from attorneys • Possible caveat: wholesale adoption in court opinions

  11. Amendment of FOF/COL • Rule 52(b)—10 day window after entry of judgment • Effect of Notice of Appeal

  12. SPECIFIC LEGAL ISSUES

  13. TRIAL MATTERS • TRO/Preliminary Injunctions • FOF/COL Generally not required • Same rule applies to other provisional remedies • Effect of delay in entering Order • Consent Judgments • FOF/COL Not required

  14. TRIAL MATTERS • Rule 12(b)(6) Motions • FOF/COL not required-facts of opposing party accepted as true • Rule12 (c) • Same rule applies • Summary Judgment • Same rule applies • Recitation of undisputed facts may be OK

  15. TRIAL MATTERS • Rule 60(b) Motions • FOF/COL not required, might be better practice • Civil Contempt • FOF required

  16. TRIAL MATTERS • Rule 11 Sanctions • FOF/COL Required for appellate review • Generally reversible error, unless evidence admits of only one result • Award of Attorneys Fees • Order requires meaningful analysis of relevant factors • E.g. time expended, skill required, customary fee, experience of atty

  17. APPEALS • Appeals from Clerk • Chapter 28 Petitions • Guardianship Proceedings • Agency Appeals • APA and “whole record” review • De Novo Review

  18. AVOIDING REVERSALJudge Steelman

More Related