Court Opinion

ID: 9686273
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 15:38:16.598729+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:18:17.131516
License: Public Domain

TEIGEN, Chief Justice.
I concur in the result that the judgment must be reversed. However, I feel that this court is not performing its duty under the statute when it remands the case to the trial court for a determination of the amount due. The court has not ordered a new trial. It merely directs the trial court to find the amount due from the evidence already of record and before us on this appeal. The appeal was taken under Section 28-27-32, N.D.C.C., and the appellant has specified in its statement that it desires a review of the entire case. All of the evidence and proceedings are embodied in the statement. Therefore, under the statute, this court shall try anew the questions of fact in the entire case and, pursuant to the statute, “shall finally dispose of the same whenever justice can be done without a *243new trial, and shall either affirm or modify the judgment or direct a new judgment to be entered in the district court.” Although the majority admit that this court could, under a trial de novo, ascertain the amount due, they do not do so because, as they state, “we think that it is better that the trial court first attempt this function, as ours is basically an appellate court and the district court is basically, and especially in this case, a trial court.” Under this procedure, it would appear that after the trial court has found the amount due, if either party is aggrieved, another appeal may be taken to this court. This makes for piecemeal decisions, contrary to the intent and clear language of Section 28-27-32, N.D.C.C. I adhere to my dissent in Simon v. Woodland, 179 N.W.2d 422 (N.D. 1970). I believe that we have a duty under the trial de novo statute to finally dispose of these cases whenever justice can be done without a new trial. This is such a case.