Opinion ID: 1468580
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Propriety of Reference on a Motion for Summary Judgment

Text: Because a motion for summary judgment must be decided on the pleadings, supporting documents, and stipulations of the parties without resort to independent findings of fact, the threshold question presents itself whether a controversy such as this one, requiring determination only of issues of law, may be referred under M.R. Civ.P., Rule 53. Subsection (b)(1) of that rule provides that the court may appoint a referee in all cases where the parties agree the case may be so tried. On its face that language could be deemed to imply that referees must try cases in the sense that they must be in a position to make findings of fact as well as draw conclusions of law. However, section (c) of Rule 53 provides that the court's order of reference may specify or limit the referee's powers and may direct the referee to report only upon particular issues. This power of the court to frame and limit orders of reference seems capable of being read broadly enough to authorize limiting a referee's inquiry solely to an issue or issues of law. Normally the procedure of reference is used to relieve the trial court of a complex and time-consuming inquiry into facts. Sometimes, also, a referee has expertise that makes it easier for him than for a judge with general jurisdiction to organize and interpret technical data. However, a trial court is ordinarily as well equipped as any referee in resolving questions of law, and thus, in most cases, questions of law should not be referred because none of the purposes of efficiency and convenience contemplated by Rule 53 would be served. Nevertheless, we are not prepared to hold that a controversy requiring solely conclusions of law for its resolution, raised by a motion for summary judgment, may never be referred under section (b)(1) of Rule 53. The first inquiry on a motion for summary judgment is whether, as a matter of law, any material facts are in issue. In the present case, in deciding to adopt the referee's report, the trial court expressly observed: . . . the facts of this case are exceedingly complex. Consequently, it was necessary for the referee to devote a considerable amount of time to consideration and distillation of these facts before he was able to conclude that `no material or controlling facts are in dispute.' We consider that the documents involved in this case were sufficiently technical, complex and difficult to understand to justify the presiding justice, with the consent of the parties, in referring the motion for summary judgment to a referee with expertise in the field of conveyancing. Though such a motion should be referred only in exceptional circumstances, we find no abuse of discretion in this particular reference.