Grace Land & Cattle Co. v. Tri-State Generation & Transmission Ass'n

217 N.W.2d 184, 191 Neb. 663, 1974 Neb. LEXIS 930
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedApril 18, 1974
Docket39214
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 217 N.W.2d 184 (Grace Land & Cattle Co. v. Tri-State Generation & Transmission Ass'n) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Grace Land & Cattle Co. v. Tri-State Generation & Transmission Ass'n, 217 N.W.2d 184, 191 Neb. 663, 1974 Neb. LEXIS 930 (Neb. 1974).

Opinions

Clinton, J.

This is a proceeding in eminent domain. It was commenced by the filing of a petition in the county court of Garden County, Nebraska, requesting the appointment of appraisers. The petition described an easement for electrical transmission purposes to be condemned across two parcels of land not contiguous and described as Parcel 27 and Parcel 10.

Parcel 27 consisted of parts of Sections 5 and 6, Township 15 North, Range 42 West of the 6th P.M.; part of Section 31, Township 16 North, Range 42 West of the 6th P.M.; and parts of Sections 36, 25, and 24, Township 16 North, Range 43 West of the 6th P.M., all in Garden County, Nebraska.

Parcel 10 consisted of a part of Section 27, Township 14 North, Range 42 West of the 6th P.M., in Deuel County, Nebraska.

' The petition described Grace Land & Cattle Company as the owner of both parcels. Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company was described as the mortgagee of Parcel 10. Cheyenne Pipe Line Company was joined as a party having some interest in Parcel 10, but the nature or extent of the interest was not set out in the petition.

• The appraisers determined the damages to be $3,655 to Parcel 27 and $1,091.70 to Parcel 10. The return of the appraisers was filed on February 15, 1973, and a copy sent to the Grace Land & Cattle Company on that date. On February 20, 1973, the Grace Land & [665]*665Cattle Company and Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company filed a notice of appeal, bond, and proof of service of the notice of appeal on the condemner.

A petition on appeal and the transcript were filed in the District Court on February 21, 1973. A proof of service of the notice of appeal on Cheyenne Pipe Line Company on April 9, 1973, was filed in the county court on April 10, 1973. The condemner moved to dismiss the appeal for failure to serve the notice of appeal upon all parties bound by award within 30 days as required by section 76-715.01, R. R. S. 1943. The trial court sustained the motion and dismissed the action. From that order Grace Land & Cattle Company and Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company have appealed to this court.

The appellants present a number of contentions as to why the judgment should be reversed. We consider only two. We first discuss the contention that the failure to serve notice on Cheyenne Pipe Line Company within the required 30 days defeated the appeal. What does the term “all parties bound by the award” in section 76-715.01, R. R. S. 1943, mean? It seems clear to us on the basis of (1) the statutory provisions themselves, (2) authorities in point, including prior decisions of this court, and (3) elemental principles of real property law, that where there is more than one condemnee there are necessarily as many awards as there are condemnees. These awards are several as distinguished from joint.

A condemnee who does not appeal is bound by his award as it has the effect of a judgment if unappealed from. State ex rel. Katelman v. Fink, 84 Neb. 185, 120 N. W. 938; Gruntorad v. Hughes Bros., Inc., 161 Neb. 358, 73 N. W. 2d 700. We long ago held that the awards to the various condemnees are several and should be separately determined by the appraisers in their report. [666]*666State ex rel. Katelman v. Fink, supra. The proceedings in that case were, of course, under a different statute, but it was not materially different insofar as the point we are discussing is concerned. We there said: “The determination of this appeal rests upon the construction to be placed upon said section 7478.. If it was the duty of the appraisers to ascertain the amount of the damage that would be sustained by each person having an interest in or a lien upon the land appropriated, it would follow that the report of the appraisers that relator was entitled to $3,000, less $13.52 for general tax unpaid, was the ascertainment of his damage by reason, of taking the lot in question, and that,, as there was no finding of a lien for the city for special assessments, it was equivalent to a finding that the city had no lien upon the lot.” The court then discussed the statutes and previously decided cases and said: “From a consideration of the provisions of the statute .above quoted, it would seem clear that it was the intention of the legislature to make.it the duty of the appraisers to assess the damages to each and all of those interested in the premises, and to apportion the value of the property appropriated among all those having an interest therein according to their respective interest. If this were not the case, we see no reason for making all persons interested in the lot parties to the proceeding, nor why the right of appeal should be conferred upon other parties than the owners of the fee. From the holdings of the court above referred to, it is apparent that the right of lienors may be determined upon the appeal, and that they may'have judgment for the amount of their liens. It would scarcely be contended that' such a judgment could be rendered on appeal' unless such findings should have been made and reported by the appraisers, for it. is elementary. that nothing can be heard, upon the appeal that could not properly have been determined by the board or court from’ which [667]*667the appeal is taken. 'Our views are strengthened in this respect by the further fact that the right of appeal is made the exclusive remedy of those interested, ■ and that no other method is provided by the statute for apportioning the value of the property taken among the various persons having an interest in or lien thereon. The respondents have placed the same construction upon the statute, for it appears that- in this condemnation proceeding the appraisers in the appraisal of other property did determine and award' to different persons having an interest in the property and liens thereon the exact amount of their interest and liens.”

• An identical result was reached in the case of Omaha Bridge & Terminal Ry. Co. v. Reed, 69 Neb. 514, 96 N. W. 276. We quote from that opinion: “Upon the trial of this case in the district court, it was, in effect, determined that the mortgagees’ interest in the land equaled or exceeded the damages assessed by the jury. In other words, the mortgagees, claiming to be owners within the meaning of the statute, presented their claim to the district court for adjudication. They asserted and proved-that they were owners, and that the value of 'their ownership was, at least, equal to the amount named in the verdict. The Omaha Bridge & Terminal Company had been duly summoned; it was in court and had ample opportunity to controvert and disprove the mortgagees’ claim. It knew the issue presented for trial was the value of the mortgage lien, and if it was of opinion that the presence of the owner of the fee was necessary for the protection' of its rights, it was its privilege to have him brought in. It failed to have him brought in; in effect, it consented to have the issue tried and determined without him; and it' must now abide by the result. Chicago, K. & N. R. Co. v. Ellis, 52 Kan. 41; Washburn v. Milwaukee & L. W. R. Co., 59 Wis. 379.”

We have recognized the principles enunciated as re[668]*668cently as Jackman v. Tri-State G. & T. Assn., Inc., 181 Neb. 459, 149 N. W. 2d 43. This was a case in which awards were made to the landowner and his tenant. The landowner appealed. The tenant was satisfied and took his money.

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217 N.W.2d 184, 191 Neb. 663, 1974 Neb. LEXIS 930, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/grace-land-cattle-co-v-tri-state-generation-transmission-assn-neb-1974.