Ex parte Lance

103 So. 2d 753, 267 Ala. 639, 1958 Ala. LEXIS 386
CourtSupreme Court of Alabama
DecidedMay 29, 1958
Docket7 Div. 397
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 103 So. 2d 753 (Ex parte Lance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ex parte Lance, 103 So. 2d 753, 267 Ala. 639, 1958 Ala. LEXIS 386 (Ala. 1958).

Opinion

MERRILL, Justice.

Petitioner Lance seeks a writ of mandamus to Judge Hardegree to set aside his order denying petitioner’s application for a division of the damages awarded by a jury in the Circuit Court of Shelby County as compensation in a condemnation case.

Southern Electric Generating Co. applied to the Probate Court of Shelby County for the condemnation of certain lands on which to build a steam electric generating plant. Commissioners were appointed and they awarded Lance $19,500 as damages. The award was paid into court and the lands ordered condemned. Lance appealed to the circuit court.

Southern Electric filed its bond in double the amount of damages awarded as required by statute, and went into possession of the property.

When the cause was tried in circuit court, the jury awarded Lance $38,000. This amount was paid into circuit court. Southern Electric took an appeal to the Supreme Court and filed a bond in more than double the amount of the award in circuit court.

Lance filed his application for a division of the sum awarded by the jury in the circuit court (other parties were two of his tenants and a mortgagee, but there is no dispute among any of the parties claiming an interest in the property as to the amount due them when the award is divided).

Judge Hardegree denied the petition for distribution arid Lance brings this petition for mandamus to require him to order distribution of the award immediately, and before the appeal to this court is determined.

The gist of petitioner’s argument is that the company has his land; that a building has already been erected on it and that it is being used exclusively by the condemnor, and, therefore, the petitioner .s entitled to the amount of the jury award now. The [641]*641respondent replies that the company has done all that the law requires it to do, and that the award cannot be divided or distributed until a final determination of the cause is made by this court.

Petitioner’s first proposition of law is “An appeal without supersedeas does not suspend the right of a party in whose favor a moneyed judgment was rendered to collect the amount of the judgment pending the appeal. Upon application of the party in interest the trial court is under a duty to pursue all measures necessary for the collection of the money by such party as if the appeal had not been taken.” We do not think this proposition is applicable to a judgment in condemnation proceeding that has been appealed.

It is true that no supersedeas bond was given when the appeal to this court was taken. The procedure for appeals in such proceedings from the circuit court to this court is provided in Tit. 19, §§ 23, 24 and 25, and Tit. 7, § 760, Code 1940. The latter section specifically provides that “on no appeal taken under this section shall the judgment of the circuit court be superseded if the compensation assessed is paid to the owner, and the costs of the suit are paid into court,” (which was not done here), “or if such compensation together with the costs of suit, are paid into court, and the applicant has given bond in double the amount of the damages assessed, conditioned to pay to the land owner such judgment as may be finally rendered in his favor.”, (which was done here). We have also held that a judgment and assessment of damages rendered in a condemnation proceeding is not a personal, moneyed judgment. State v. Carter, Ala., 101 So.2d 550;1 Calhoun County v. Logan, 262 Ala. 586, 80 So.2d 529; Mobile & Ohio R. Co. v. Hester, 122 Ala. 249, 25 So. 220.

Title does not vest in the condemnor until the compensation has been paid, Alabama Midland Ry. Co. v. Newton, 94 Ala. 443, 10 So. 89; Tit. 19, § 24, Code 1940, and the judgment was not subject to supersedeas.

Petitioner’s second proposition of law is “When a condemnor obtains a judgment in the Circuit Court condemning property under the power of eminent domain, gives bond, as provided by statute, pays the amount of the award into court, and takes possession of the property, the owner has the right forthwith to accept and obtain the award from the court and an appeal by the condemnor to the Supreme Court- of Alabama does not supersede or suspend such right of the owner.”

Two sections of the Constitution of 1901 apply. They are:

“Sec. 23. That the exercise of the right of eminent domain shall never be abridged nor so construed as to prevent the legislature from taking the property and franchises of incorporated companies, and subjecting them to public use in the same manner in which the property and franchises of individuals are taken and subjected; but private property shall not be taken for, or applied to public use, unless just compensation be first made therefor; nor shall private property be taken for private use, or for the use of corporations, other than municipal, without the consent of the owner; provided, however, the legislature may by law secure to persons or corporations the right of way over the lands of other persons or corporations, and by general laws provide for and regulate the exercise by persons and corporations of the rights herein reserved; but just compensation shall, in all cases, be first made to the owner; and, provided, that the right of eminent domain shall not be so construed as to allow taxation or forced subscription for the benefit of railroads or any other kind of corporations, other than municipal, or for [642]*642the benefit of any individual or association.”
“Sec. 235. Municipal and other corporations and individuals invested with the privilege of taking property for public use, shall make just compensation, to be ascertained as may be provided by law, for the property taken, injured, or destroyed by the construction or enlargement of its works, highways, or improvements, which compensation shall be paid before such taking, injury, or destruction. The legislature is hereby prohibited from denying the right of appeal from any preliminary assessment of damages against any such corporations or individuals made by viewers or otherwise, but such appeal shall not deprive those who have obtained the judgment of condemnation from a right of entry, provided the amount of damages assessed shall have been paid into court in money, and a bond shall have been given in not less than double the amount of the damages assessed, with good and sufficient sureties, to pay such damages as the property owner may sustain; and the amount of damages in all cases of appeals shall on demand of either party, be determined by a jury according to law.”

Both sections require that just compensation be first made where private property is taken for public use. But the decisive question is what constitutes prepayment under the law of this state.

Prior to 1901, the condemnor could not enter the property pending appeal. Southern Railway Co. v. Birmingham, Selma & N. O. R. Co., 130 Ala. 660, 31 So. 509. To meet this state of the law, Sec. 235 of the Constitution of 1901 provided for the right of entry pending appeal provided the amount of damages assessed shall be paid into court in money, and a bond shall be given in not less than double the amount of damages assessed. “These changes in the Constitution make plain the purpose in all cases to divorce prepayment from the right to have damages assessed by a jury, and in cases where a right of entry, a taking, is sought, permits prepayment by a deposit of money and a bond.” Stocks v. City of Gadsden, 173 Ala. 321, 56 So. 134, 135.

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Related

McLemore v. Alabama Power Company
228 So. 2d 780 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1969)
State v. LeCroy
186 So. 2d 142 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1966)
Southern Electric Generating Company v. Lance
110 So. 2d 627 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1959)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
103 So. 2d 753, 267 Ala. 639, 1958 Ala. LEXIS 386, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ex-parte-lance-ala-1958.