Schoolcraft v. DeKalb County
Schoolcraft v. DeKalb County
Concurring in Part
concurring in the judgment but dis-
senting in part. I concur in the judgment, but dissent from
While it is true that Code § 36-505 provides that "inquiry may be made as to all other legitimate purposes [than its agricultural or productive qualities] to -which the property could be appropriated,” the use is simply not a legitimate one unless there is a demand or reasonable probability thereof. For example, this land could be used for the construction of an office skyscraper, or for a cemetery, or for a myriad of uses for none of which there is any present or foreseeable demand, and such should not be considered as affecting its value. It is elemental that the charge should be adapted to the facts legitimately in evidence, and unless it is, it is error to give it.
Opinion of the Court
This is an in rem condemnation proceeding by DeKalb County to obtain a permanent avigation easement in, to, upon and over the land of the condemnee. Assessors were appointed who selected a third assessor. An award of $700 for the taking and $2,900 in consequential damages was made, and condemnor paid $3,600 into the registry of the court. Both condemnor and condemnee appealed from the award. A de novo trial was held before a jury for the sole purpose of deciding what amount of money is just and adequate compensation for the property condemned. Verdict was returned in favor of condemnee in the amount of $1,500 and condemnee appeals. Eight enumerations of error were filed and, as argued in condemnee’s brief, four questions are presented to this court for determination, as follows: 1. Should the jury have been instructed that they could consider other legitimate uses which might be made of the condemned property? 2. Should the condemnee have been allowed to testify as to the value of the property taken and as to
1. The first complaint of the appellant is that the court refused to give a written request to charge which was the substance of' Code §36-505, to wit: . . in estimating the value of land when taken for public uses, it is not restricted to its agricultural or productive qualities, but inquiry may be made as to all other legitimate purposes to which the property could be appropriated.” Such written request must be entirely correct, accurate, and must be adjusted to the pleadings, the law, and the evidence. New York Life Ins. Co. v. Thompson, 50 Ga. App. 413 (1) (178 SE 389); McKinney v. Woodard, 94 Ga. App. 340 (1) (94 SE2d 620); Childers v. Ackerman Constr. Co., 211 Ga. 350 (1) (86 SE2d 227); King v. Ellis, 104 Ga. App. 335, 336 (121 SE2d 815). It was error to refuse to give this written request inasmuch as there was some testimony that this was residential property and that there was an apartment complex and commercial property in the immediate vicinity. Further, an expert witness testified: ". . . and I considered also the possibility, but improbable, that at some future time it might lend itself to say industrial use for land purposes.” The test is whether the land sought to be condemned could be used for other purposes, and not whether the land would be used for other purposes. Moore v. State Hwy. Dept., 221 Ga. 392 (144 SE2d 747). See also State Hwy. Dept. v. Whitehurst, 109 Ga. App. 737 (137 SE2d 371); State Hwy. Dept. v. Cantrell, 119 Ga. App. 241 (2) (166 SE2d 604).
2. A non-expert witness who has had an opportunity to form a correct opinion may testify as to his opinion of the market value of the property. Code § 38-1709; State Hwy. Dept. v. Clark, 123 Ga. App. 627 (4) (181 SE2d
3. In counsel’s examination of the condemnee the court limited the questioning of counsel as to the number of planes leaving the airport and taking off and coming over his house to those planes using Runway 20-L. Unquestionably, the easement was not taken for flights using Runway 20-L exclusively. It is true the condemnation proceeding made reference to this runway in a de
4. No objection was made by the condemnee to the in rem proceeding. To the contrary, he named an assessor and continued to prosecute the case, seeking to obtain the value of his property that was taken. Condemnee is now estopped by his conduct aforementioned to attack the in rem proceeding. See Code §38-114; Ga. Power Co. v. Fountain, 207 Ga. 361 (61 SE2d 454). The court likewise instructed the jury that the only issue on appeal was the value of the property taken. The court instructed the jury there was no question of identity of the property, nor the right of eminent domain, and no question as to the validity of the preliminary proceedings prior to trial. Harrold v. Central of Ga. R. Co., 144 Ga. 199 (3) (86 SE 552). No objection was made to this charge. The condemnee’s complaint that the judgment is erroneous, because there was no evidence to sustain the allegation that title to the property was uncertain so as to authorize a condemnation proceeding in rem is not meritorious.
5. For reasons stated above a new trial will be necessary.
Judgment reversed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- SCHOOLCRAFT v. DeKALB COUNTY
- Cited By
- 22 cases
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- Published