Court Opinion

ID: 9685368
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 14:35:02.740939+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:18:05.226899
License: Public Domain

POPOVICH, Justice
(dissenting).
While I agree with the majority’s statement of legal principles governing special assessments, I think the majority decides a factual issue that is properly left to the trial court. Both the trial court and the majority opinion describe the question in this case as purely factual: whether or not the improvements increased the property’s market value. The trial court, relying largely on expert testimony offered by both the city and the property owners, found no increase in value. The court specifically found the owners’ expert “far more credible.”
It is true that in assessment cases we conduct a careful examination of the record to determine whether the evidence as a whole supports the trial court’s findings. Carlson-Lang Realty Co. v. City of Windom, 307 Minn. 368, 373, 240 N.W.2d 517, 521 (1976). But it is not our role to disturb findings of fact simply because we would draw different conclusions than the trial judge. Findings of fact should not be set aside on review unless they are clearly erroneous. Minn.R.Civ.P. 52.01. We followed this basic rule in Hartle v. City of Glencoe, 303 Minn. 262, 226 N.W.2d 914 (1975), where the trial court found an increase in fair market value after property was connected to city water and sewer. There was conflicting testimony on that question, we noted, “but it is up to the finder of fact to resolve this conflict.” 303 Minn. at 267, 226 N.W.2d at 918.
The trial judge here similarly resolved conflicting testimony, and evidence in the record supports his conclusion. The majority’s analysis may be convincing, but it is often possible to reevaluate a trial court record and construct an alternative reading of the facts. In my view, we should not substitute our judgment on such a factual determination. For that reason, I respectfully dissent.