Conclusions of law

What conclusions of law means

Put simply, conclusions of law is part of the working vocabulary of a civil case. The short definition above covers the usual meaning. Still, a specific rule, statute or contract can give it a narrower meaning. For that reason, check how it is used in your own documents.

Where conclusions of law comes up

For example, the term appears in these procedures:

• Request for Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law (Fed. R. Civ. P. 52(a), 52(b)): in a case tried without a jury, the written findings of fact and conclusions of law the court must make, and a party's motion asking the court to amend or add to them.

Read the source: Findings of fact.

How to research the term

First, read the term where it actually appears. A rule, statute or court decision may define it for its own purposes. Next, check whether your court has a local rule that uses conclusions of law in a special way. Then look at recent decisions from courts in your jurisdiction. They show how judges apply the term today. Also, remember that state law can differ from federal law. For that reason, use our state procedures guide to find your state’s rules. Finally, confirm every source is current before you rely on it.

You can read the official rule text online for free.

Related legal terms

• Bench trial: a trial in which the judge, not a jury, decides the facts. In a federal bench trial, Rule 52(a) requires the court to find the facts specially and state its conclusions of law separately.
• Findings of fact: the court's written decisions about what happened, based on the evidence. In a federal bench trial, Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 52(a) requires the court to find the facts specially and state its conclusions of law separately.
• Common law trademark: trademark rights that arise from actually using a mark in commerce, without federal registration.
• Common law trust: a trust created under the general principles of trust law developed by the courts, rather than under a special statute. Most private trusts fit this description. Calling a trust a common law trust does not exempt it from a state's trust statutes or from tax rules.

Why precise terms matter

Courts read legal terms closely. As a result, knowing the exact meaning of a word helps you follow orders, rules and filings. Each glossary entry on Lawtopolis is short on purpose and links to the pages where the term is used.