Dzur v. Northern Indiana Public Service Company

278 N.E.2d 563, 257 Ind. 674, 1972 Ind. LEXIS 648
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 16, 1972
Docket870S182, 870S183, 870S184
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 278 N.E.2d 563 (Dzur v. Northern Indiana Public Service Company) 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
Dzur v. Northern Indiana Public Service Company, 278 N.E.2d 563, 257 Ind. 674, 1972 Ind. LEXIS 648 (Ind. 1972).

Opinion

Givan, J.

These cases were commenced as three separate condemnation actions brought by the appellee. The cases have been consolidated on the Court’s own motion for the purposes of this opinion. This is the second appeal by the appellants between the same parties, concerning the same subject matter. See Country Estate, Inc. v. Northern Indiana Public Service Co. (1970), 254 Ind. 108, 258 N. E. 2d 54, 21 Ind. Dec. 275. In our prior decision we reversed the trial court and remanded each case for further proceedings for the reason that the facts stated by the appellee demonstrate that 50 feet of a proposed 200 foot right-of-way was for a remote and speculative use and, therefore, was unlawful as being outside the scope of appellee’s statutory authority to exercise the power of eminent domain.

*676 The appellee has filed a motion to dismiss or affirm in which it first claims the appeals should be dismissed because the appellants have failed to file an appeal bond within the 10 days specified by the statute. Burns Ind. Stat., 1968 Repl., § 3-1705. It is appellants’ contention the bond should have been filed within 10 days of July 29, 1970, but was not filed until September 21, 1970. Appellant cites no authority for his position. However, the language of the statute requires us to make the following observations:

Pursuant to Trial Rule 62(D)(1) and Appellate Rule 6(B) no appeal bond is necessary to perfect an appeal from an interlocutory order, but in order to stay an execution of judgment a supersedeas bond must be given and approved by the appropriate court. An appeal such as in the case at bar is in the nature of an appeal from an interlocutory order, since if the appellant should have failed to take this appeal any claimed error would be waived. Whitlock v. Public Service Co. of Ind., Inc. (1959) 239 Ind. 680, 159 N. E. 2d 280, 161 N. E. 2d 169; Thiesing Veneer Co., Inc. v. State (1970), 254 Ind. 699, 262 N. E. 2d 382, 23 Ind. Dec. 12.

The bonding requirement of the above statute is not jurisdictional since no appeal bond is necessary under our rules from interlocutory orders. The Federal Courts in interpreting the similar Federal Rule 73(d) (now Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 8), which rule was the basis for our Trial Rule 62(D) (2) have held the failure to provide bond is not jurisdictional. W. H. Lailer & Co. v. C. E. Jackson Co. (D. Mass. 1948), 75 Fed. Supp. 827. Failure to comply with the rule may be grounds for dismissal, but the matter is within the discretion of the Court of Appeals. Hargraves v. Bowden (9th Cir. 1954) 217 Fed. 2d 839; Markharm v. Kallimanis (9th Cir. 1945) 151 Fed. 2d 145, certiorari denied 327 U. S. 788, 66 S. Ct. 806, 90 L. Ed. 1014. In exercising its discretion the matter to be considered by the court is whether the neglect to file the bond has prejudiced the opposing party. If no prejudice is shown the Fed *677 eral Courts permit the filing of bond up to the time of final judgment. Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans v. The Cumulus (5th Cir. 1949), 172 F. 2d 102. An examination of the record in this case does not disclose nor does the appellee contend that it was in any way prejudiced by the late filing of the bond required by the statute. We, therefore, hold that inasmuch as appellee was not prejudiced and the bond has in fact been filed by appellant prior to decision by this Court, this appeal should not be dismissed for that reason.

Appellee has also claimed this appeal should be dismissed because appellants are seeking to raise the same questions which they raised in the prior appeal. We dealt with this same question in the case of Meyer v. NIPSCO, a companion case which is also being handed down by this Court today. The statements made in that case on the same subject are equally applicable to the case at bar. Appellee’s motion to dismiss is, therefore, denied.

In these actions the appellee sought to appropriate an easement of 200 feet in width across the property of each of the appellants. The evidence in the record discloses that the appellee has immediate need for a 150 foot right-of-way for the construction of a 345 KV transmission line; that it was seeking to acquire an additional 50 feet in width because of the possibility of the need in the future for the construction of a 138 KV transmission line.

At the time this cause was remanded the trial court permitted the appellee to amend its complaint and proposed to proceed with the condemnation actions from that point. It is appellants’ position that the trial court erred in proposing to go forward with the condemnation actions without first requiring the appellee to make a new offer to purchase a 150 foot right-of-way from the appellants. Burns Ind. Stat., 1968 Repl., § 3-1701 states in pertinent part as follows:

*678 “. . . Before proceeding to condemn, such person, corporation or other body [i.e., one having the right to exercise the power of eminent domain] may enter upon any land for the purpose of examining and surveying the property sought to be appropriated or right sought to be acquired; and shall make an effort to purchase for the use intended such lands, right-of-way easement or other interest therein or other property or right....”

This requirement of making an effort to purchase the property sought to be condemned is a condition precedent to the right to maintain an action in condemnation. Wampler v. Trustees of Indiana University (1961), 241 Ind. 449, 172 N. E. 2d 67; Indiana Service Corp. v. Town of Flora (1941), 218 Ind. 208, 31 N. E. 2d 1015. The inability to agree with the owner of the real estate is a prerequisite fact which must be found by the trial court. Moore v. Indiana & Michigan Electric Co. (1950), 229 Ind. 309, 95 N. E. 2d 210.

In the case at bar the only offer to purchase made by the appellee was for a 200 foot right-of-way. It is quite conceivable that the change in width of the right-of-way might have considerable effect on the willingness of the appellants to accept an offer to purchase such right-of-way.

We hold that upon remand of this case after the first appeal it was necessary for the appellee to make an offer to the appellants to purchase a right-of-way, the description of which coincided with the description in any subsequent complaint for condemnation. Then before proceeding with the condemnation action, the appellee would have the burden to show the court that there had been a failure of agreement with the appellants to purchase the right-of-way so described. In the case of Indiana Service Corp. v. Town of Flora, supra, this Court stated at pages 213, 214:

“An effort to purchase the property sought to be acquired is a condition precedent to the right to maintain an action to condemn. Slider v. Indianapolis, etc., Traction Co.

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Bluebook (online)
278 N.E.2d 563, 257 Ind. 674, 1972 Ind. LEXIS 648, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dzur-v-northern-indiana-public-service-company-ind-1972.