(a) Effect. In all actions tried upon the facts without a jury or with an advisory jury, the court shall find the facts specially and state separately its conclusions of law thereon and judgment shall be entered pursuant to Rule 58; and in granting or refusing interlocutory injunctions the court shall similarly set forth the findings of fact and conclusions of law which constitute the grounds of its action. Requests for findings are not necessary for purposes of review. Findings of fact shall not be set aside unless clearly erroneous, and due regard shall be given to the opportunity of the trial court to judge the credibility of the witnesses. The findings of a master, to the extent that the court adopts them, shall be considered as the findings of the court. If an opinion or memorandum of decision is filed, it will be sufficient if the findings of fact and conclusions of law appear therein. Findings of fact and conclusions of law are unnecessary on decisions of motions under Rules 12 or 56 or any other motion except as provided in Rule 41(b).
Rule 52.Findings by the Court.
Last amended January 15, 1998 · Last verified July 6, 2026
In one sentenceRule 52 requires a judge trying a case without a jury to make specific findings of fact and separate conclusions of law, sets a narrow window to seek amended findings, and limits appellate reversal of findings to those that are clearly erroneous.
Full Text of Rule 52
(b) Amendment. Upon motion of a party made not later than 10 days after the date shown in the clerk’s certificate of distribution on the judgment the court may amend its findings or make additional findings and may amend the judgment accordingly. The motion may be made with a motion for new trial pursuant to Rule 59. When findings of fact are made in actions tried by the court without a jury, the question of the sufficiency of the evidence to support the findings may thereafter be raised whether or not the party raising the question has made in the court an objection to such findings or has made a motion to amend them or a motion for judgment.
Amendment History
(Adopted by SCO 5 October 9, 1959; amended by SCO 258 effective November 15, 1976; by SCO 554 effective April 4, 1983; and by SCO 1295 effective January 15, 1998)
Notes
Note: Ch. 139, § 6, SLA 1986, provided that AS 09.17.080, enacted by ch. 139, § 1, SLA 1986, amended Civil Rule 52 by requiring the court to make specific findings regarding the amount of damages and the percentages of fault to be allocated among the parties. Sec. 09.17.080. Apportionment of damages.
(a) In all actions involving fault of more than one party to the action, including third party defendants and persons who have been released under AS 09.17.090, the court, unless otherwise agreed by all parties, shall instruct the jury to answer special interrogatories or, if there is no jury, shall make findings, indicating (1) the amount of damages each claimant would be entitled to recover if contributory fault is disregarded; and (2) the percentage of the total fault of all of the parties to each claim that is allocated to each claimant, defendant, third party defendant, and person who has been released from liability under AS 09.17.090.
(b) In determining the percentages of fault, the trier of fact shall consider both the nature of the conduct of each party at fault, and the extent of the causal relation between the conduct and the damages claimed. The trier of fact may determine that two or more persons are to be treated as a single party if their conduct was a cause of the damages claimed and the separate act or omission of each person cannot be distinguished.
(c) The court shall determine the award of damages to each claimant in accordance with the findings, subject to a reduction under AS 09.17.090, and enter judgment against each party liable. The court also shall determine and state in the judgment each party’s equitable share of the obligation to each claimant in accordance with the respective percentages of fault.
(d) The court shall enter judgment against each party liable on the basis of joint and several liability, except that a party who is allocated less than 50 percent of the total fault allocated to all the parties may not be jointly liable for more than twice the percentage of fault allocated to that party. (§ 1 ch. 139 SLA 1986)
Note: Sections 41, 43, 45, and 46 of chapter 87 SLA 1997 amend AS 25.20.050(n), AS 25.24.160(d), AS 25.24.210(e), and AS 25.24.230(i), respectively, to require that an order or acknowledgement of paternity, a divorce decree, a petition for dissolution of marriage, and a dissolution decree include the social security number of each party to the action and each child whose rights are being addressed. According to § 151 of the Act, these provisions have the effect of amending Civil Rules 52, 58, 78, and 90.1 by requiring the court to include social security numbers, if ascertainable, of parties and children in certain petitions, pleadings, and judgments.
Plain-English Summary
In any case tried on the facts without a jury, or with only an advisory jury, the judge must find the facts specifically and state legal conclusions separately, with judgment entered accordingly; the same goes for a ruling on an interlocutory injunction. Findings can appear in an opinion or memorandum of decision rather than a separate document, and no party has to formally request findings to preserve the right to challenge them on appeal. An appellate court won't set aside a finding unless it's clearly erroneous, giving weight to the trial judge's advantage in judging witness credibility, and findings a master makes become the court's own findings to the extent the court adopts them. No findings or conclusions are needed on most pretrial motions.
A party can move, within 10 days after the judgment's distribution date, to have the court amend its findings, make additional ones, or amend the judgment to match, and can combine that motion with a request for a new trial. Whether or not a party objected to the findings below or moved to amend them, it can still argue on appeal that the evidence doesn't support them. Alaska law separately requires specific findings on the percentage of fault allocated among the parties in cases involving more than one at-fault party, and the mechanics of preparing and submitting proposed findings follow a separate rule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a judge have to explain the reasoning behind a bench-trial ruling?
Yes — Rule 52(a) requires the court to find the facts specifically and state its legal conclusions separately, though this can appear within an opinion or memorandum of decision.
How hard is it to overturn a trial judge's factual findings on appeal?
Difficult — findings won't be set aside unless clearly erroneous, and the reviewing court gives weight to the trial judge's opportunity to assess witness credibility.
Can I ask the court to change its findings after a bench trial?
Yes, by motion within 10 days after the judgment is distributed, and this can be combined with a motion for a new trial.
Source & verification. The rule text, Amendment History, and Notes are reproduced verbatim from the
official Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure (Alaska R. Civ. P. 52). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Alaska (Alaska Const. art. IV, § 15). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 6, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: findings of fact Alaska bench trialclearly erroneous standard Alaskaamending findings after trial Alaska ruleAlaska R. Civ. P. 52