Henderson v. Iowa State Highway Commission

151 N.W.2d 473, 260 Iowa 891, 1967 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 809
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedJune 6, 1967
Docket52515
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 151 N.W.2d 473 (Henderson v. Iowa State Highway Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Henderson v. Iowa State Highway Commission, 151 N.W.2d 473, 260 Iowa 891, 1967 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 809 (iowa 1967).

Opinion

Moore, J.

This is a road condemnation in conjunction with construction of Interstate Highway 35 north through Hamilton County. Prior to condemnation, plaintiff, "Willard M. Henderson, owned and was operating a farm including the following described real estate:

SE% SW% and SW% SE¿4 of Section 6, and NW%

NE14 of Section 7, both in Township 86, North of

Range 23, West 5th P.M., Hamilton County, Iowa.

An east-west county road ran along the south side of the two'quarters in Section 6 and the north side of plaintiff’s above described 40 in Section 7. Plaintiff’s home and some of his farm buildings were in the northwest corner of his land in Section 7. Other farm buildings were directly north across the county road. This east-west county road between the sections was plaintiff’s sole access.

The Iowa State Highway Commission’s notice to Henderson and the papers filed with the sheriff described by metes and bounds the area being condemned. The initial papers condemned the fee title to the described area, including the county road and stated plaintiff was to have no right of direct access.

The plat filed showed interstate 35 would take land along the west side of plaintiff’s 40 in Section 7 and divided and took *894 part of his two 40’s in Section 6. It also showed a 16-foot-high overpass would be constructed just north of the existing county road. This took plaintiff’s buildings on the north side of the county road and some of his land both east and west of interstate 35. The overpass east of 35 extended the entire length of plaintiff’s above described land.

The duly appointed sheriff’s jury met, viewed the property and assessed Henderson’s damage at $25,500.

The highway commission then appealed to the district court. The notice of appeal contained the same description and statements as used in the commission’s prior papers. Henderson, as required by Code section 472.21, filed a petition as plaintiff in the district court. He therein asked he be awarded $41,000.

During the jury trial in district court the evidence, including plaintiff’s testimony, pointed out plaintiff’s home and other buildings would be bounded on the west by interstate 35 and on the north by the high overpass without any right of ingress or egress other than building a road to the east on his land until he reached the county road east beyond- the overpass. Plaintiff stated this would reduce his crop acreage about 10 acres. It was also shown he would have no access from his east 40 in Section 6.

Plaintiff testified the fair market value of his farm, which totaled 240 acres, before condemnation was $150,000 and $90,000 thereafter. Another witness stressed the fact plaintiff’s farm was being divided into three separate parcels and gave substantially the same estimates of value before and after condemnation.

Following this evidence and during the third day of trial the commission filed an amendment to its answer granting to plaintiff a written easement- over a part of the old county road just north of plaintiff’s home and remaining buildings. It thus gave plaintiff a right to use part of the old county road and access to the overpass some distance east of plaintiff’s home. A farm entrance to plaintiff’s east 40 in Section 6 was also granted. This eliminated construction of a road over plaintiff’s land and loss of crop acreage.

Plaintiff was then recalled and testified with the granted *895 easement and newly granted right of access the after value of his farm was $94,000 or $95,000. This evidence was not contradicted in the record.

The trial court submitted the diminished condemnation to the jury. It made an award of $22,700. The court’s entry thereafter carefully established plaintiff’s easement and right of access.

Plaintiff then filed a motion for allowance of attorney fees and taxation of costs against defendant-commission. After taking evidence the trial court denied allowance of attorney fees and taxed the costs evenly between plaintiff and defendant. Plaintiff has appealed from the ruling on this motion. We reverse and remand.

Section 472.33, Code 1966, provides: “Costs and attorney fees. The applicant shall pay all costs of the assessment made by the commissioners. The applicant shall also pay all costs occasioned by the appeal, including reasonable attorney fees to be taxed by the court, unless on the trial thereof the same or a less amount of damages is awarded than was allowed by the tribunal from which the appeal was taken.”

Plaintiff contends attorney fees and all costs should be allowed as the record fails to establish the total award was less than the amount allowed by the sheriff’s jury. He argues the award for the diminished condemnation plus the value of the easement and right of access, $4000 or $5000, exceeds the sheriff’s jury award.

Defendant in resistance to the motion submitted testimony of three of the six sheriff jurors that they were told by condemnation agents while at the farm Henderson would be allowed the use of the old county road and would be granted access from his buildings. This testimony was taken over plaintiff’s objections. One of the two condemnation agents had been so employed for less than three months. Some misconception may have been caused by the commission’s failure to shade all the condemned area on its plat.

One of the. condemnation agents testified he told plaintiff he would have use of the old county road. Plaintiff testified such a statement was made but not accepted or relied upon by him. *896 He testified his first legal assurance of any use or easement first came during the trial when defendant amended its answer and granted him these rights in writing.

I. Taking of fee title is a taking of the entire title and necessarily includes all lesser estates embraced in the whole. Taking of a fee to land by condemnation includes all appurtenances. Richland Irrigation Dist. v. United States, 9 Cir., 222 F.2d 112; 30 C. J. S., Eminent Domain, section 450, pages 637, 638; 26 Am. Jur.2d, Eminent Domain, section 130, page 789.

In 30 C. J. S., Eminent Domain, section 449, pages 618, 619, the editor states: “Generally, where there is a proper exercise of the right of eminent domain, the legal entity condemning the property obtains an absolute right, title, and interest therein, and the title so conferred is good against the worid. Ordinarily where unlimited use is contemplated, condemnation abrogates and extinguishes all pre-existing interests in the property.”

II. Under this condemnation proceeding until the amendment during trial fee title to the described area, including the county road, was being taken. Thereunder plaintiff’s right of access was being extinguished. Schrimper v. Chicago, M. & St. P. Ry. Co., 115 Iowa 35, 87 N.W. 731; Roberts v. Upper Verdigris W. J. Dist.', 193 Kan. 151, 392 P.2d 914; Arkansas State Highway Comm. v. Wilmans, 239 Ark. 281,

Related

Weiss v. City of Denison
491 N.W.2d 805 (Court of Appeals of Iowa, 1992)
Hronis v. Comm'r of Transportation, No. 502566 (Mar. 31, 1992)
1992 Conn. Super. Ct. 2869 (Connecticut Superior Court, 1992)
Fanning v. Mapco, Inc.
181 N.W.2d 190 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1970)
Schrader v. Sioux City
167 N.W.2d 669 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1969)

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Bluebook (online)
151 N.W.2d 473, 260 Iowa 891, 1967 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 809, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/henderson-v-iowa-state-highway-commission-iowa-1967.