Opinion ID: 773302
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: District Court Hearing

Text: 13 During a status hearing, both parties agreed to submit the case to the court on the basis of the briefs and affidavits. However, after reviewing the same, the court chose to order a hearing and to allow Deborah Gander to testify as a witness on the issue of intent with regard to both the 1988 and 1992 decree/modification. The district court allowed this evidence because it determined that the settlement agreement was ambiguous. 14 Livoti and McMahen contend that the district court erred in holding an evidentiary hearing once the parties agreed to submit the case on the basis of briefs and affidavits. They argue that fairness dictates that the court enforce the agreement of the parties to so submit the case. Christian and Melissa Gander argue that the court has discretionary authority pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 16(a) to order the hearing. 15 The law is clear that stipulations of law are not binding on the court. Sanford's Estate v. Comm'r. of IRS, 308 U.S. 39, 51 (1939); Harbor Ins. Co. v. Essman, 918 F.2d 734, 738 (8th Cir. 1990); Minneapolis Brewing Co. v. E. B. Merritt, 143 F. Supp. 146, 149 (D.N.D. 1956). However, stipulations by the parties regarding questions of fact are conclusive. Burstein v. United States, 232 F.2d 19, 23 (8th Cir. 1956). Trial courts are bound by the facts established by the stipulation. Id. Valid stipulations are controlling and conclusive, and courts must enforce them. Id.; 83 C.J.S., Stipulations, 12, p. 30. Courts cannot make contrary findings. H. Hackfield & Co. v. United States, 197 U.S. 442, 447 (1905). It appears that the parties agreed that they would submit affidavits and briefs to the court. However, nothing is set forth in the record before us that would indicate that a stipulation of facts exists. There might have been some tacit agreement at the status conference, but there is no record of what the parties stipulated to in terms of the facts of this case. Consequently, we find that there exists no stipulation that would be binding on the district court so as to preclude the taking of additional evidence.