Opinion ID: 2101241
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Class-Certification Order is the product of the trial court's independent judgment.

Text: For its second point on appeal, Farmers takes issue with the fact that the court adopted the class-certification order, without any changes or additions, that had been prepared by appellee's counsel. Farmers asserts that the order constitutes an opinion, and that it is impermissible for the trial court to simply adopt an order submitted by counsel. To support its theory, Farmers cites to a Third Circuit Court of Appeals' opinion that does express concern about trial courts adopting a party's proposed opinion as its own. See Bright v. Westmoreland County, 380 F.3d 729, 730 (3rd Cir.2004). As Snowden correctly notes, the case cited by appellant, Bright, supra , is not controlling and is inapposite to the instant case. The court in Bright was ultimately concerned that there was no evidence in the record to establish that the trial court conducted its own independent review. Id. In this case, the record establishes that the trial court instructed both sides to prepare a precedent at the conclusion of a hearing on the issues and did not make a ruling for more than four months. There is no evidence to suggest the trial court failed to independently review the issues before making a final judgment. In addition, this court has recognized that it is customary for trial judges to rely upon the members of the bar to prepare judgments, orders and decrees in accordance with the court's instructions. Barnett v. Howard, 363 Ark. 150, 211 S.W.3d 490 (2005). The court in the instant case asked both sides to submit an order that would pass muster with the appellate court, and noted that the judge may or may not use any or all or part of that, but I'd like to have it. The record reveals that the judge not only conducted a hearing, but took several months to issue a final decision. The simple fact that one party's prepared precedent was used does not suggest that the court did not exercise its independent judgment. This court finds no error on the part of the trial court simply because it adopted appellee's prepared order.