Opinion ID: 221079
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Manual Provisions

Text: The majority opinion's analysis falters with its acknowledgment that the district court failed to make findings regarding whether the provision in the Manual was mandatory or whether it required review of the safety plans by Navy personnel. See Majority Opinion, p. 1029. Following a bench trial, if the findings are inadequate on a contested issue, it is our obligation to remand the issue to the district court to resolve the factual dispute. See Zivkovic, 302 F.3d at 1090-91. Rather than adhering to this basic precept of appellate review, the majority opinion completely usurps the function of the district court. See Fisher v. Roe, 263 F.3d 906, 912 (9th Cir.2001), abrogated on other grounds in Mancuso v. Olivarez, 292 F.3d 939, 944 n. 1 (9th Cir.2002) (This case graphically illustrates one of the bread and butter principles of appellate review that governs the manner in which we measure the work of a trial court. Trial courts find facts. We do not.) The majority professes to make a legal conclusion that the Safety and Health Program Manual required review of the health and safety plan by a Navy hygienist. See Majority Opinion, p. 1030 n. 5. However, in truth no provision of the manual mandates use of a Navy hygienist. And the district court judge credited express testimony from the author of the Manual that there was never any intent to utilize a Navy hygienist. Once again, the majority completely usurps the factfinding function of the trial judge, disregards the evidence and retries the case. Because I would remand for the district court to resolve the factual issue that must be resolved before a legal ruling can be made, I dissent from the majority's conclusion that the Navy Manual provisions imposed a mandatory duty on the government.