DMW Contracting Co. v. Stolz

Decision Date09 December 1946
Docket NumberNo. 9223.,9223.
Citation81 US App. DC 334,158 F.2d 405
PartiesD. M. W. CONTRACTING CO., Inc., et al. v. STOLZ.
CourtU.S. Court of Appeals — District of Columbia Circuit

Mr. Bernard J. Gallagher, of Washington, D. C., with whom Mr. M. Walton Hendry, of Washington, D. C., was on the brief, for appellants.

Mr. Maurice Friedman, of Washington, D. C., with whom Mr. Oliver F. Busby, of Washington, D. C., was on the brief, for appellee.

Before GRONER, Chief Justice, and EDGERTON and CLARK, Associate Justices.

Writ of Certiorari Denied March 17, 1947. See 67 S.Ct. 980.

CLARK, Associate Justice.

Appellee recovered a judgment in the District Court against the appellants for the balance due on a sub-contract to furnish certain granite for the construction of what is called the East Building of the Municipal Center, Washington, D. C. The final judgment and order of the court below adopted as its findings of fact and conclusions of law the report of an auditor submitted to the court pursuant to an order of reference. This appeal is from that final judgment.

The litigation started when the appellee, Stolz, was granted leave to intervene in an action by the D. M. W. Contracting Company, Inc., hereafter referred to as D. M. W., against the District of Columbia for the balance due on the general contract for the construction of the Municipal Center. The District of Columbia filed an answer and counterclaim, bringing into the action D. M. W.'s two sureties on its contract, Hartford Accident and Indemnity Company and Ætna Casualty and Surety Company, who are also appellants in this case. The court, on its own motion and without objection by the parties, referred the entire matter to the court's auditor "to take testimony upon the issues raised by the pleadings, to make findings of fact and conclusions of law, and to report to this court." Subsequent to this reference, the appellants and the District of Columbia settled, leaving in litigation only the claim of appellee against the appellants.

The auditor heard the appellee's case and then continued the hearings because of the alleged illness of D. M. W.'s president and only witness. The case was continued from time to time until the appellee showed to the court's satisfaction that the D. M. W. witness's failure to appear was due to an unwillingness to testify rather than to an inability, whereupon the court ordered the auditor to conclude the cause. Before a report was made the incumbent auditor died. His successor in office requested instructions of the court and was ordered to file his report based upon the existing record. This order was objected to by the appellants. The auditor's report made findings of fact and conclusions of law in favor of the appellee. Appellants filed exceptions to the report and also filed a motion to suppress it. After due consideration of the exceptions and motion and examination of the report, the record and transcript of testimony and proceedings, the court issued a final judgment overruling the motion to suppress and the exceptions, adopting the auditor's report as the findings of fact and conclusions of the court and granting appellee a final judgment of recovery.

The principal issue raised by this appeal is whether the court below was in error in directing the successor auditor, over appellants' objection, to base his findings and report upon the evidence taken by his deceased predecessor. We attribute no merit to the issue raised by appellants wherein they attempt to distinguish between compulsory and consent references in view of Rule 53,1 Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, 28 U.S.C.A. following section 723c, where the only distinction recognized is between jury and non-jury actions. Neither do we attribute merit to appellants' contention that the auditor was in error in finding that the parties operated under and were governed by a letter contract of August 14, 1940 rather than by a standard form of contract signed by the parties on September 28, 1940. This finding was accepted by the trial court as not being erroneous and will not be disturbed by this court in view of the ample evidence to support such a finding, and the absence of any evidence indicating anything to the contrary.

Turning to the principal issue, in holding that it was not error for the trial court to direct the successor auditor to base his findings and report upon the evidence taken by his deceased predecessor, we are of opinion that the answer rests on the effect to be given the master's report under the rules governing such. In determining this, reference need be made to Rule 53, paragraph (e). The applicable portions are as follows:

"(1) Contents and Filing. The master shall prepare a report upon the matters submitted to him by the order of reference and, if required to make findings of fact and conclusions of law, he shall set them forth in the report. * * * in an action to be tried without a jury, unless otherwise directed by the order of reference, (the master)...

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  • United States v. 15.3 ACRES OF LAND, ETC., Civ. A. No. 5051.
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    • United States District Courts. 3th Circuit. United States District Court of Middle District of Pennsylvania
    • August 15, 1957
    ...the expert testimony, and that it should be adopted and followed. F.R.C.P. Rules 71A(h), 53(e) (2); D. M. W. Contracting Co. v. Stolz, 1946, 81 U.S.App.D.C. 334, 158 F.2d 405, at page 407; In re Mifflin Chemical Corp., 3 Cir., 1941, 123 F.2d 311, at page 313; United States v. Certain Parcel......
  • Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Intern. Union, AFL-CIO v. N.L.R.B., AFL-CI
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    • United States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (District of Columbia)
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    ...deductions and conclusions of law are entitled to no special weight, citing in support of that proposition D.M.W. Contract Co. v. Stolz, 81 U.S.App.D.C. 334, 158 F.2d 405, 407 (1946), cert. denied, 330 U.S. 839, 67 S.Ct. 980, 91 L.Ed. 1286 (1947), as well as several cases in other circuits ......
  • Stauble v. Warrob, Inc., s. 92-1102
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    • United States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (1st Circuit)
    • July 28, 1992
    ...1319, 1321 (10th Cir.1980) (describing district court scrutiny of master's legal conclusions as "essential"); D.M.W. Contracting Co. v. Stolz, 158 F.2d 405, 407 (D.C.Cir.1946) (similar), cert. denied, 330 U.S. 839, 67 S.Ct. 980, 91 L.Ed. 1286 (1947). Moreover, the controversy between Staubl......
  • United States v. Vater, 268
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    • United States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (2nd Circuit)
    • September 26, 1958
    ...56 S.Ct. at pages 911, 912; De La Rama v. De La Rama, 1916, 241 U.S. 154, 36 S.Ct. 518, 60 L.Ed. 932; D.M.W. Contracting Co. v. Stolz, 1946, 81 U.S.App.D.C. 334, 158 F.2d 405, certiorari denied 1947, 330 U.S. 839, 67 S.Ct. 980, 91 L.Ed. 1286; Eastland Co. v. Federal Communications Comm., 19......
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