Opinion ID: 1668813
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Standard of Review and Applicable Standards

Text: The trial court's order was the result of a two-day bench trial, at which the court heard ore tenus evidence. Where evidence is presented to the trial court ore tenus, a presumption of correctness exists as to the court's conclusions on issues of fact; its determination will not be disturbed unless it is clearly erroneous, without supporting evidence, manifestly unjust, or against the great weight of the evidence. American Petroleum Equip. & Constr., Inc. v. Fancher, 708 So.2d 129, 132 (Ala.1997). However, in its order of March 4, 2004, the trial court noted that few issues of fact were disputed. The court stated that [t]he real question is what legal conclusions the court should draw from those facts. [W]hen the trial court improperly applies the law to the facts, no presumption of correctness exists as to the court's judgment. In addition, the ore tenus presumption of correctness has no application to a trial court's conclusions on questions of law. American Petroleum, 708 So.2d at 132 (citations omitted).