Opinion ID: 1824722
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Lack of an Opinion.

Text: Our review of this case was made more difficult by the absence of an oral or written opinion on the part of the trial judge. We can appreciate that rendition of such pronouncements by the trial court may sometimes be bypassed in small claims or minor matters. Here, however, the lawsuit involved  the purchase of property valued at over $53,000 and resulted in a judgment of over $1,000, and the litigants were entitled to an expression of opinion by the trier of fact beyond the sending of a postcard which disclosed the result. In recent cases, we have had occasion to urge that trial courts render written or oral opinions in all significant matters before them for decision. Oosterwyk v. Corrigan (1963), 19 Wis. (2d) 464, 473, 120 N. W. (2d) 620; Wisconsin Dairy Fresh v. Steel & Tube Products Co., ante, p. 415, 421, 122 N. W. (2d) 361. The trial judge in this case is admonished to heed our expressions on this subject contained in the foregoing cases. By the Court. Judgment reversed, and cause remanded with instructions to enter judgment dismissing on its merits that portion of the complaint which sought damages for rent in the sum of $697.43 and for a new trial as to that portion of the complaint which sought damages of $385.65 for negligent construction work. Each side is to bear its own costs in this court.