Opinion ID: 1059409
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: standard of review

Text: The trial court's finding of facts are binding upon this Court unless they are plainly wrong or unsupported by the evidence. Quantum Dev. Co. v. Luckett, 242 Va. 159, 161, 409 S.E.2d 121, 122 (1991). However, [t]he question whether a writing is ambiguous is not one of fact but of law. Langman v. Alumni Assoc. of the Univ. of Virginia, 247 Va. 491, 498, 442 S.E.2d 669, 674 (1994). On appellate review, we are not bound by the trial court's conclusions regarding an instrument's ambiguity because we are provided with the same opportunity as the trial court to consider the written provisions of the deed in question. Id. If the trial court errs in admitting parol evidence, its findings of facts based upon improperly admitted evidence are plainly wrong. Id.