Evans v. Edelbrock
Evans v. Edelbrock
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
Did the trial court commit error in the dismissal of an appeal taken by B. R. Evans from an order of the board of county commissioners of Johnson county, vacating a road and establishing it on another line? is the question presented upon this appeal.
Many years ago the A. R. Miller road was duly established, but in 1914 it was vacated, and what is known as the George Thoren road was established. For some reason this road was not opened for general use. It is suggested that before it could be of practical public utility the construction of two expensive bridges was necessary. In 1918, a petition was presented to the board to vacate the Thoren road and reestablish the Miller road. A .number of those who had petitioned for the Thoren road signed the petition asking for the relocation. The petition was found to be regular and legal, the bond presented in connection with it was approved, and viewers were appointed. Shortly before this action was taken Evans had brought a proceeding in mandamus to compel the township trustee to open the Thoren road, to which an answer was filed by the defendant, and the action was pending when the county commissioners allowed the petition and made the order vacating the Thoren road and relocating it on the Miller line. The plaintiff, Evans, and some others, remonstrated against the relocation of the road, but after the viewers met and reported favorably on the relocation, the plaintiff presented a formal claim for the damages sustained by him through the relocation. Instead of pressing this demand for damages, the plaintiff appealed from the order reestablishing the Miller road. When this appeal came up for hearing the district court dismissed the appeal, and of this ruling plaintiff complains.
The plaintiff challenges the legality of the action of the county commissioners, but it appears that the statutory re
The judgment is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- In re Appeal from Board of County Commissioners of Johnson County in Matter of Vacation and Relocation of Road (B. R. Evans v. John Edelbrock, Appellees)
- Cited By
- 6 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- SYLLABUS BY THE COURT. 1. Roads and Highways — Vacation and Relocation of Road — Jurisdiction of County Commissioners. Where a valid petition for the laying out of a road, or the vacation of one and its relocation on another line, is presented to a board of county commissioners and allowed, its determination as to the practicability of the proposed road, including the convenience and public utility of the same, involves the legislative and administrative- powers of the board, and the exercise of these functions are beyond the' jurisdiction of- the district court, and no appeal is allowed from the decision. 2. Same — Opening of Road — Claim of Damages — Right of Appeal. Matters pertaining to the damages sustained by a landowner through the location or relocation of a road are judicial in character, and an appeal from orders in the allowance of damages may be taken. 3. Sanie — Claim for Damages — Waiver of Jurisdiction to Lay Out Road. One who claims damages for the location or relocation of a road cannot be heard to object to the order making such location or relocation. 4. Same — Pending of Mandamus Proceedings. The pendency of a proceeding in mandamus against a township trustee to compel the opening of a road does not prevent a board of county commissioners from allowing a petition to vacate the road or from establishing the same on another line.