William Atkinson & Bacot Co. v. Board of Supervisors
William Atkinson & Bacot Co. v. Board of Supervisors
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
Appellant’s assessment, as assessed by the assessor as of February 1, 1893, was $11,500. The board of supervisors raised it to $25,000. Appellant appealed, under § 80 of the code of 1892, to the circuit court, where, by the verdict of the jury and the judgment of the court thereon, the assessable value of appellant’s property was fixed at $16,448.06. The appellant-was adjudged to pay the costs of suit, and also the statutory penalty provided in § 80. The judgment fixing the assessable^ value was duly certified to the board of supervisors, in accordance with § 80. It thus appears that the assessable value, though put over $8,000 below the sum to which it had been raised by the board of supervisors, was fixed at a sum about $5,000 in excess of that at which it had been put by the assessor. It is insisted by the appellant that it was, consequently,, successful in the litigation in the circuit court, and the judg
Counsel says that, “if the judgment in this case be correct, the board of supervisors, in every case where an assessment is even $1 too low, can raise the same to any sum, however unreasonable, without any sort of liability or responsibility or danger to the members of the board or to those whom they represent. ’ ’ But, per eoniyra, if the board raised an assessment $100,000 — to answer an improbability with an improbability —and, on appeal, it should be reduced only $1,000, would counsel call that a winning of his case by the fraudulent appealing tax delinquent ?- The statute must receive a reasonable construction, in view of its manifest purpose, and we think it'
Dismiss the appeal.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- William Atkinson & Bacot Co. v. Board of Supervisors of Pike County
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. Revenue. Assessment for taxes. Increase amé reduction. Appeal to circuit court. Damages. Code of 1892, (j 80. Where the assessment of a taxpayer, as returned by the assessor, is largely increased by the board of supervisors, and, on his appeal to the circuit court, is considerably reduced, though still left considerably in excess of the sum returned by the assessor, the matter has been decided against him in said court, and he is liable on his appeal bond for the statutory damages of ten per centum on the amount in controversy and all costs. 2. Appeals. Pcvrt of judgment. Damages amd costs. Code of 1892, l 80. One who appeals to the circuit court, under $ 80, code of 1892, from a decision of the board of supervisors raising his assessment, and is defeated, cannot appeal from that portion only of the judgment of the circuit court which adjudges against him the statutory damages and costs.