Opinion ID: 2570465
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: appellate review of factual findings

Text: Cross contends that the district court was clearly erroneous when it found that Crail took the grader without Berg's permission. Cross then reasons that Berg is estopped from asserting ownership of the grader. The district court found that Berg did not, as a matter of fact, allow Crail to deal with the grader as if it was his own. The testimony was that Crail took the grader without Berg's permission, and that as soon as he discovered the taking, Berg began to try to get the grader back from Crail. There was no evidence that Berg in any way authorized Crail in general to treat the grader as if he owned it, or that he authorized Crail in particular to deal with Cross in regard to the grader. It would be more tempting to surmise from the evidence that Crail actually lied to Berg as to the whereabouts of the grader, perhaps because, as Cross claims, Crail had already given Cross the grader as payment or security on a debt. This factual finding is supported by ample evidence in the record. Cross argues that Berg admitted in the complaint that he authorized Crail to utilize the grader. Crail was authorized to use the grader, but not to take it. Berg never authorized Crail to take the grader to Cross' ranch. In effect, Cross argues that he is a bona fide purchaser, an innocent third party who was mislead by Crail's apparent authority to dispose of the grader. This argument, however, would only apply if Cross were asserting legitimate ownership of the grader. But Cross himself disclaimed any ownership interest in the grader. He asked Berg if he could borrow the grader to repair damage done by Crail. One does not seek to borrow that which he already owns. And under questioning from the bench, Cross admitted that he knew the grader was not his: I never wanted the grader. I think I always made that clear to anybody that Mr. Berg sent, that I didn't want the grader. I just wanted to be paid. And he admitted that Berg did indeed claim ownership of the grader: I didn't know that he owned the grader. I mean, he told me, but that didn't mean he owned it. The district judge, as fact finder, had the opportunity to gauge the demeanor and assess the credibility of live witnesses who told confusing and contradictory stories. We cannot determine, based on appellate review of a cold record, that these findings of fact are clearly erroneous.