What rule governs when county court decisions result or don’t result in written statements of reasons?
<p>I recall reading that at the circuit judge appellate level, the answer is yes. But I’m more wondering specifically about the district judge or deputy district judge level of first instance.</p>

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<p>In U.S. practice in almost all jurisdictions, court orders must be memorialized in a signed or electronically signed writing transmitted to the parties and/or counsel. But, this can be a bare recitation of the result.</p>
<p>The extent to which it must be reasoned is discretionary, and the reasoning can be supplied by an oral statement of the judge in lieu of a writing. Oral statements of reasoning in lieu of written judgments are common in courts of limited jurisdiction comparable to English County Courts, but written opinions are issued now and then in more complex cases or where legal issues were argued in closing arguments.</p>
<p>A ruling of a judge sitting without a jury may be vacated and remanded by an appellate court for further proceedings, if the factual and legal basis for the ruling is not articulated with sufficient clarity to allow an appellate court to determine if the trial court's decision was legally correct and supported by the trial court record.</p>
<p>Juries, of course, are not requires to articulate their reasoning and enter a bare verdict of liability and damages, or guilty and not guilty as to each charge (and in rare instances also answer one or more &quot;special verdict&quot; questions) in the manner set forth on the jury verdict form provided to the jury.</p>
<p>In limited jurisdiction courts where the sole appeal is a trial <em>de novo</em> in a higher court, called &quot;courts not of record&quot;, a written statement of reasons is unnecessary as any appeal will not be based upon the trial court record.</p>

england-and-wales civil-procedure court