Rule 52 - Findings and Conclusions by the Court; Judgment on Partial Findings(a)Findings and Conclusions.(1)In General. In an action tried on the facts without a jury or with an advisory jury, the court must find the facts specially and state its conclusions of law separately. The findings and conclusions may be stated on the record after the close of the evidence or may appear in an opinion or a memorandum of decision filed by the court. Judgment must be entered under Rule 58.(2)For an Interlocutory Injunction. In granting or refusing an interlocutory injunction, the court must similarly state the findings and conclusions that support its action.(3)For a Motion. The court is not required to state findings or conclusions when ruling on a motion under Rule 12 or 56 or, unless these rules provide otherwise, on any other motion. The court should, however, state on the record the reasons for granting or denying a motion.(4)Effect of a Master's Findings. A master's findings, to the extent adopted by the court, must be considered the court's findings.(5)Questioning the Evidentiary Support. A party may later question the sufficiency of the evidence supporting the findings, whether or not the party requested findings, objected to them, moved to amend them, or moved for partial findings.(6)Setting Aside the Findings. Findings of fact, whether based on oral or other evidence, must not be set aside unless clearly erroneous, and the reviewing court must give due regard to the trial court's opportunity to judge the witnesses' credibility.(b)Amended or Additional Findings. On a party's motion filed no later than 28 days after service of written notice of entry of judgment, the court may amend its findings-or make additional findings-and may amend the judgment accordingly. The time for filing the motion cannot be extended under Rule 6(b). The motion may accompany a motion for a new trial under Rule 59.(c)Judgment on Partial Findings. If a party has been fully heard on an issue during a nonjury trial and the court finds against the party on that issue, the court may enter judgment against the party on a claim or defense that, under the controlling law, can be maintained or defeated only with a favorable finding on that issue. The court may, however, decline to render any judgment until the close of the evidence. A judgment on partial findings must be supported by findings of fact and conclusions of law as required by Rule 52(a).Last amended effective 1/1/2005; amended effective 3/1/2019.Drafter's Note
2004 Amendment
Subdivision (a) is amended to conform to the 1963 and 1983 amendments to the federal rule by providing that the court's judgment in a case tried without a jury shall be entered pursuant to Rule 58, that the court may make the findings of fact and conclusions of law required in nonjury cases orally and by including a reference to new subdivision (c) in the last sentence. The revised rule does not include the 1985 amendment to subdivision (a) of the federal rule. The last sentence is added to conform this rule with the change to Rule 56(c) requiring that an order granting summary judgment set forth the undisputed material facts and legal determinations on which the court granted summary judgment.
The amendments to subdivision (b) are technical.
Subdivision (c) is added. It conforms to the 1991 amendment to the federal rule. The provision parallels revised Rule 50(a), but it applies to nonjury trials. It authorizes the court to enter judgment at any time that it can appropriately make a dispositive finding of fact on the evidence. The new subdivision replaces part of former Rule 41(b), which had authorized a dismissal at the close of a plaintiff's case if the plaintiff had "failed to prove a sufficient case for the court."