Parkway Imports, Inc. v. Askinos

This is a petition to establish a report. After a trial in a contract action there was a finding for the defendant. The judge’s order dismissing the plaintiff’s draft report reads: “Report dismissed. No question of law presented—no requests for rulings filed”.

The judge was correct. Generally, to be entitled to a report as a matter of right a party must be aggrieved by a “ruling on a matter of law”. G.L. c. 231, §108. Rule 27 of the Rules of the District Courts (1965).

“A ‘request for a report is comparable to the taking of an exception in other courts.

As to exceptions, it is true that the…