Opinion ID: 2602225
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Consideration and Weight Given 1943 Proof of Appropriation by the Special Master and as Adopted by the District Court

Text: [¶ 48] The district court, affirming the special master, discounted the evidentiary value of a sworn proof of appropriation executed in 1943 offered by Brad Bath to prove beneficial use of water on the subject land before 1910 for Parcels B-2, B-3, and B-5. Mr. Bath was attempting through the document to establish irrigation within a reasonable time to qualify for the Walton right. The special master stated: There is evidence that none of the Singing Rabbit allotment was being irrigated the year before it was first sold to a non-Indian in 1909. Herschel Griffin testified that the allotment was under irrigation about 1920. That would be 11 years after the sale. The statement in the proof that beneficial use of the water was completed before 1910 is hardly convincing because the proof was filed 33 years after that date. Therefore, there was no credible evidence that the land was put under irrigation within a reasonable time after its first sale to a non-Indian. [¶ 49] Mr. Bath argues the proof of appropriation was uncontradicted and unimpeached by the tribes and the United States. Therefore, according to Mr. Bath, the court erred by rejecting the evidence. [¶ 50] This issue may have been rendered moot by our holding that unsuccessful claimants, including Mr. Bath, may establish the reasonable time factor by demonstrating due individual diligence to utilize reserved waters once project facilities were made available to their properties. Because it cannot be determined from the extant record whether Mr. Bath did exercise such individual diligence, we will consider the matter. [¶ 51] It is well established that  `[t]he burden of proof is on the party asserting the affirmative of any issue. Morrison v. Reilly, Wyo., 511 P.2d 970 (1973).' Big Horn I, 753 P.2d at 90 (quoting Osborn v. Manning, 685 P.2d 1121, 1124 (Wyo.1984)); see, e.g., Younglove v. Graham & Hill, 526 P.2d 689, 693 (Wyo.1974) (holding burden of proof is on one asserting an affirmative defense); Hawkeye-Security Insurance Co. v. Apodaca, 524 P.2d 874, 879 (Wyo.1974). The objection involves the sufficiency of the evidence. When addressing a sufficiency-of-the-evidence question, this court looks at only the evidence most favorable to the prevailing party, giving it every favorable inference and leaving out of consideration entirely evidence in conflict therewith. Big Horn I, 753 P.2d at 89; Allstar Video, Inc. v. Baeder, 730 P.2d 796, 798 (Wyo.1986); Wangler v. Federer, 714 P.2d 1209, 1216-17 (Wyo.1986); Tremblay v. Reid, 700 P.2d 391, 392 (Wyo. 1985); City of Rock Springs v. Police Protection Association, 610 P.2d 975, 980 (Wyo. 1980). In this same vein, we will not disturb a specific factual finding unless the finding is clearly erroneous or against the great weight of the evidence. Barton, 996 P.2d at 3; Murphy v. Stevens, 645 P.2d 82, 85 (Wyo. 1982); Shores v. Lindsey, 591 P.2d 895, 899 (Wyo.1979). [¶ 52] We cannot conclude the special master's discounting the evidentiary value of the proof of appropriation was clearly erroneous. It is the fact-finder's role to evaluate the evidence as well as weigh the witnesses' credibility. DeWitt v. State, 917 P.2d 1144, 1148 (Wyo.1996). Neither of the individuals who signed the document testified at the hearing, and Herschel Griffin's live testimony indicated the date of the first beneficial use was in the time frame of 1920. The evidence of the actual irrigation was obviously very sparse, and the special master had the opportunity to observe the witness giving testimony. We cannot supplant the fact-finder's judgment absent overwhelming contrary evidence and, therefore, affirm.