Brief Fact Summary. The Plaintiff, Roberts (Plaintiff), appeals a decision from the lower court dismissing his claim against the Defendant, Ross (Defendant). The claim was for money owed to Plaintiff by way of an agreement, which allegedly stated Plaintiff would receive a commission for finding a buyer of Defendant’s property in St. Thomas.
Synopsis of Rule of Law. Rule 52(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP) requires the trier of facts to find the facts specially and state his conclusions of law thereon with clarity. The findings of fact and conclusions of law must be sufficient to indicate the bases of the trial judge’s decision.
Fourth Amendment-Excessive Force All claims that law enforcement officers have used excessive force â deadly or not â in the course of an arrest, investigatory stop, or other seizure of a free citizen should be analyzed under the Fourth Amendment and its reasonableness standard.
View Full Point of LawIssue. Whether a trial judge’s order, unaccompanied by any opinion which would ordinarily summarize the facts and legal conclusions that influenced his decision, would be acceptable as a final order.
Held. No. The trial judge’s conclusion is so inadequate as to afford this court an indication of the legal standard under which the evidence was considered. It has been the general practice of the district judges of the Third Circuit in the past under FRCP Rule 52(a) to formulate their findings of fact and conclusions of law in the course of, and as part of their decision-making process and to articulate and file them at the time of announcing their decision, either in an opinion if filed at that time or in a separate document. We strongly approve this practice and direct it to be followed by the courts below.
Discussion. The purpose of FRCP Rule 52(a) is to require the trial judge to formulate and articulate his findings of fact and conclusions of law in the course of his consideration and determination of the case and as a part of his decision making process. The rationale is so that he himself may be satisfied that he has dealt fully and properly with all the issues in the case before he decides it and so the parties involved and this court on appeal may be fully informed ss to the bases of his decision when it is made. Findings and conclusions prepared ex post facto by counsel, even though signed by the judge, do not adequately serve the purpose of the rule.