Opinion ID: 1983446
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Consideration of Evidence Beyond the Stipulated Facts

Text: The Superior Court also erred in considering any evidence beyond the facts stipulated by the parties. When the parties' stipulations include exhibits and transcripts of depositions, the court may properly draw appropriate inferences from those materials. Judkins Insurance Agency, Inc. v. Whitney, 588 A.2d 298, 299 (Me.1991). Here, however, the stipulation made no reference to depositions and the court erred in going beyond the stipulated facts. The justice to whom a case is submitted upon an agreed statement cannot properly add to or subtract from the facts thus agreed upon but must apply the applicable law to that which is presented to him. Public Finance Corp. v. Scribner, 159 Me. 150, 189 A.2d 368, 368-369 (Me.1963), quoted in Mearl v. State Tax Assessor, 482 A.2d 1258, 1260 (Me.1984). Accord, Pelletier v. Dwyer 334 A.2d 867, 871-872 (Me.1975) (when the parties choose to rely on an agreed statement of facts, . . . the court cannot assume or infer a fact not agreed upon by the parties.) (citations omitted).