Court Opinion

ID: 9700626
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 21:38:16.811973+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:21:12.410808
License: Public Domain

Hallows, J.
(dissenting). I do not agree that we can treat the decision of the trial court as an order. The facts of this case are not governed by Will of Jansen (1923), 181 Wis. 83, 85, 193 N. W. 972, Will of Pattison (1926), 190 Wis. 289, 298, 207 N. W. 292, and State ex rel. Zilisch v. Auer (1928), 197 Wis. 284, 287, 288, 221 N. W. 860, 223 N. W. 123.
In Boehm v. Wermuth (1927), 194 Wis. 82, 215 N. W. 818, this court was careful to point out the importance of separating findings of fact and conclusions of law from the opinion or decision because they are distinct and separate and should not be confused or intermingled. It is equally important to separate an order from the decision. In Barrock v. Barrock (1950), 257 Wis. 565, 44 N. W. (2d) 527, this court expressly stated there was some doubt whether a decision which is written for the information of counsel and which contemplates the filing of formal findings should be accorded the dignity of a court order or judgment. Again, in Dawley v. Dawley (1944), 246 Wis. 306, 309, 16 N. W. (2d) 827, we stated:
“Orderly practice in a matter such as was before the court in this case requires that an opinion be filed, if that seems to the court proper and necessary, and upon the basis of the opinion an order should be made in a separate document. *230Discussions of questions of law and other extraneous matters should not be included in an order. Nothing but the direction of the court or judge should appear in an order after the proper recitals.”
There is no indication in the instant case that the trial court considered its decision as an order. Neither should it be necessary for a court to make a direction in its written decision or opinion that an order should be entered thereon at the risk of having this court assume its opinion is an order. In State ex rel. Chinchilla Ranch, Inc., v. O'Connell (1952), 261 Wis. 86, 93, 51 N. W. (2d) 714, the trial court’s opinion ended with the sentence: “Defendant’s motion must be granted.” This court held that such direction did not amount to an order and was not a formal direction within the meaning of sec. 270.53 (2), Stats.
The part of the decision which the majority of the court construes as an appealable order merely contains the trial court’s analysis and comments upon the contention of the creditor bank that its petition to extend time for filing claims constituted the filing of a claim. Under the majority opinion, the distinction between an order based upon a decision or a finding of fact is obliterated. A decision now dealing with the denial of a claim or what constitutes a claim may, in substance, be treated as an order for the purposes of an appeal to this court. This is the holding in spite of the fact that sec. 253.12, Stats., requires every order and judgment in probate proceedings which affects the rights of any person to be made in open court except in a situation which is not material here. See Estate of Richardson (1937), 223 Wis. 447, 271 N. W. 56; Will of Robinson (1935), 218 Wis. 596, 261 N. W. 725.