City of Terre Haute v. Jeffries

241 N.E.2d 349, 251 Ind. 416, 1968 Ind. LEXIS 590
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 13, 1968
DocketNo. 867S69
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 241 N.E.2d 349 (City of Terre Haute v. Jeffries) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City of Terre Haute v. Jeffries, 241 N.E.2d 349, 251 Ind. 416, 1968 Ind. LEXIS 590 (Ind. 1968).

Opinions

Jackson, J.

Appellants herein instituted this action against the appellees for the appropriation of certain real estate owned by the appellees Carl H. and Sally L. Jeffries, husband and wife; appellee Indiana Savings Loan and Building Association was alleged to hold a mortgage on the real estate sought to be appropriated and was made a party to the action to answer to its interest therein.

The cause was originally filed in the Superior Court of Vigo County, Indiana. The complaint, omitting caption, signature and formal parts, is in the words and figures as follows:

“The Terre Haute Eedevelopment Commission, in the name of the City of Terre Haute, State of Indiana, on behalf of the Department of Eedevelopment of said City, complains of the defendants listed in the caption above and for cause of action alleges and says:
1. That plaintiff, the City of Terre Haute, acting through its legally organized and constituted Department of Eedevelopment, is now engaged in the redevelopment of an area located in said City heretofore determined to be a blighted area in .conformity with the Acts of the Indiana General Assembly 1953, Chapter 176, page 603, as amended, in which said area the real estate hereinafter described to be taken is located. The Terre Haute Eedevelopment Commission, organized and acting pursuant to said Acts 1953, Chapter 176, page 603, as amended, after having adopted declaratory resolution and redevelopment plan approved pursuant to said Acts, deems it necessary to acquire the real estate hereinafter described to be taken by the exercise of the power of eminent domain, and pursuant to said Acts 1953, Chapter 176, page 603, Section 17, as amended, the said Commission has adopted a resolution setting out their determination to proceed and directing their attorney to file this petition in the name of the City [418]*418of Terre Haute, on behalf of its Department of Redevelopment, praying that appraisers be appointed to appraise the fair cash value of said real estate deemed necessary to be acquired to carry out the redevelopment Plan.
2. This action is brought to obtain the title and possession by the exercise of the power of eminent domain, for the purpose of carrying out said Redevelopment Plan, of the following described real estate located in the City of Terre Haute, Vigo County, State of Indiana, to-wit:
Lot Number Twelve (12), except forty (40) feet off the North side thereof in James Farrington’s Subdivision of Lot Number Five (5) in Farrington’s Subdivision of Out Lots Number Sixty-two (62), Sixty-three (68) and part of Sixty-four (64) of the original Town, now City of Terre Haute.
Together with all right, title and interest which the owner of the above described real estate may have in and to all alleys, roads and streets, ways, strips, gores, and railroad rights of way abutting or adjoining and accruing to the above described real estate and in any means of ingress and egress appertaining thereto.
3. The only persons or corporations who are in possession of said real estate to be taken and who appear to be the owners or have an interest therein, as shown by the tax duplicates and records in the offices of the Auditor and Recorder of Vigo County, are the defendants, Carl H. Jeffries and Sally L. Jeffries, husband and wife, subject to the mortgage lien of the defendant, Indiana Savings Loan and Building Association, of Terre Haute, and further subject to liens for unpaid property taxes, if any.
4. The declaratory resolutions and redevelopment plan hertofore adopted by the Terre Haute Redevelopment Commission and referred to in Rhetorical Paragraph 1 hereof, have been approved, and an approving order issued thereon by the Plan Commission of said City, the body charged with the duty of developing a general plan for the City of Terre Haute, Indiana, and has been approved by the Common Council of the City of Terre Haute, Indiana, and the said Terre Haute Redevelopment Commission has taken final action determining the public utility and the benefit of said public project, and confirming the said Declaratory Resolution, from which no appeals have been taken, and it is necessary that plaintiff acquire the real estate herein-above described in Rhetorical Paragraph 2 hereof, for the [419]*419purpose of .carrying out and consummating said Redevelopment Plan, all pursuant to the Acts of the Indiana General Assembly 1953, Chapter 176, page 603, as amended.
5. Plaintiff has, prior to the beginning of this action, through its Terre Haute Redevelopment Commission, endeavored to purchase the said real estate from the above owners referred to in Rhetorical Paragraph 3 hereof, but plaintiff has been unable to acquire said real estate by purchase by reason of the said defendants denying plaintiff’s right to acquire said real estate pursuant to Chapter 176 of the Acts of 1953, and the failure of agreement as to purchase price therefor.
WHEREFORE, plaintiff prays that notice of the commencement of this action be given to the defendants herein as provided by law, and that three disinterested freeholders, residents of Vigo County, Indiana, be appointed to appraise the fair cash value of said real estate to be taken hereunder, and fix the damages, if any, and that such appraisers be ordered to report their appraisement as by law provided, within a reasonable time to be fixed by the Court, and that all other steps be taken and all proceedings had necessary for the City of Terre Haute, State of Indiana, to acquire by right of eminent domain for the use of benefit of its Department of Redevelopment, title in fee simple absolute and possession of said real estate herein, above described in Rhetorical Paragraph 2 hereof, for the purposes aforesaid, and for all other proper relief in the premises.”

After appellees were notified of the commencement of this action, the Vigo Superior Court entered an order finding that plaintiff-appellant on behalf of its Department of Redevelopment was entitled to condemn and appropriate the property and property rights described in the complaint for the purposes therein specified. The court thereupon appointed three disinterested freeholders of Vigo County to appraise and assess the damages the defendants might sustain by reason of such appropriation. Thereafter, the said appraisers took an oath to honestly and impartially assess the damages to the defendants-appellees, and were duly instructed by the court. The said appraisers reported their appraisal to the court, such appraisal of total damages was in the amount [420]*420of Twenty-three Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($23,750.00), computed by said appraisers as follows: Twelve Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($12,-250.00) for the fair market value of the land sought to be appropriated; Five Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($5,500.00) for the fair market value of all improvements situated on the land sought to be appropriated; Six Thousand Dollars ($6,-000.00) for such other direct consequential damages as would result to the defendants from the taking of the property involved.

Both appellant and appellees filed exceptions to the said report and appraisal of the court appointed appraisers and prayed that the question of damages be submitted to trial by a jury.

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Bluebook (online)
241 N.E.2d 349, 251 Ind. 416, 1968 Ind. LEXIS 590, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-terre-haute-v-jeffries-ind-1968.