In re Appropriation of Gustin

190 N.E.2d 65, 91 Ohio Law. Abs. 404, 24 Ohio Op. 2d 232, 1963 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 259
CourtScioto County Court of Common Pleas
DecidedFebruary 19, 1963
DocketNo. 47375
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 190 N.E.2d 65 (In re Appropriation of Gustin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Scioto County Court of Common Pleas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Appropriation of Gustin, 190 N.E.2d 65, 91 Ohio Law. Abs. 404, 24 Ohio Op. 2d 232, 1963 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 259 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1963).

Opinion

Thompson, J.

Tbe question that is now before tbe court is, primarily, one of procedure. It arose in a rather unique manner and has caused tbe court considerable difficulty.

A statement of tbe facts is required in order to understand tbe question to be resolved.

On November 29, 1961, tbe Director of Highways filed bis Resolution and Finding in this case, naming Arthur Gustin, Helen Gustin, Tbe Federal Land Bank of Louisville, Kentucky, and tbe Treasurer of Scioto County, Ohio, as tbe parties having an interest as owners. Arthur and Helen Gustin were served with a copy of tbe Resolution and Finding and a summons dated December 11, 1961. On December 22, 1961, Gustins filed their petition on appeal. Tbe Federal Land Bank of Louisville, Kentucky and the Treasurer of Scioto County also filed answers and cross petitions.

On April 23,1962, an amended Resolution and Finding was filed and tbe same four parties named as tbe owners.

[406]*406On October 24, 1962, the Director filed a motion for leave to file an amended Resolution and Finding for the reason that Samuel T. Darnell and Bernice B. Darnell claim some interest in the property appropriated and that their presence as parties was necessary to a complete determination and settlement of the question involved. On the same date, the court ordered that the Darnells be made parties to the proceeding and that summons be issued for them. Summons for the Darnells were issued on October 24, 1962 and they were given the statutory thirty (30) days in which to file an appeal.

The case was tried to a jury on November 14th and 15th, 1962. At that time for some unexplained reason, the clerk of courts had not placed the Director’s motion of October 24th, the Journal Entry making the Darnells parties, nor the summons issued for Darnells in the file jacket. The court, therefore, had no knowledge at that time that Darnells were parties and neither attorney for the Director nor attorney for Gustins advised the court of that fact. During the trial of the case, and after the court had submitted the case to the jury, Darnells’ counsel discovered the trial was in progress and immediately advised the trial court of the situation. The jury returned a verdict in the total amount of $11,170.00 as compensation for land taken and damages to the residue.

On November 16, 1962, Darnells filed their petition on appeal and their appeal bond on November 19, 1962.

On November 23, 1962, a Journal Entry on the Verdict was signed and filed without the approval of Darnells’ counsel, which ordered the property appropriated vested in the State of Ohio clear and free of all claims of the owners of said lands naming specifically the four original parties and, also, naming specifically Samuel T. Darnell and Bernice B. Darnell.

Next came the filing of the motions which are now being considered by this court. On November 28th, the Darnells filed a motion objecting to the journal entry of November 23rd and asking that it be vacated and set aside. Stating in their memorandum in support of their motion that they are the owners of a perpetual easement across the lands of Gustin; the appropriation takes this easement and access therefrom to Darnells other land; that they are necessary parties and have not had their [407]*407day- in court. Further, that the Journal Entry of November 23rd was not presented to counsel for Darnells before submission to the court contrary to the rules of Practice of this court, and that the proceedings are for the reasons stated null and void and contrary to law.

Then on December 3rd, the Director filed a motion to strike from the files the Petition in Appeal filed by Darnells for the reason that the same was not filed according to law. In support of his motion, the Director relies on In re Appropriation etc. Preston, v. Miller; Zimmerman, Appellant, 115 Ohio App., 48, Ohio BAR, No. 30, July 23, 1962.

On January 2nd, the Gustins filed a motion, joining in the Director’s motion, to strike from the files the Petition in Appeal filed by Darnells, citing as additional authority, Orgel on Valuation under Eminent Domain, Vol. 1, page 461, Sec. 109 et seq.

Since there is no evidence before the court at this time bearing upon the relationship between the Gustins and Darnells land, we shall assume the facts to be as related by counsel for Gustins as follows: Many years ago, both the Gustin and Darnell lands were owned by the same person. The entire tract was divided into five (5) lots. The land now owned by Darnells is part of Lots Numbers 1 and 2. Gustins now own Lots Numbers 3, 4 and 5. Early deeds for Lots Numbers 3, 4 and 5 contained reservations in words similar to the following:

“Passageway reserved for benefit of Lots Numbers 1 and 2 for all legitimate purposes.”

It appears that at that time the main outlet to Lots Numbers 1 and 2 was over this passageway reserved over Lots Numbers 3, 4 and 5. Later U. S. Route 52 was constructed and the easement no longer became necessary as the owners then had an outlet to the new highway.

It is this claimed easement for a passageway across the Gustin land that is involved in this case. There is no dispute that if the Darnells have an easement over the Gustin land as claimed by them, then the appropriation of the right of way for a limited access highway severs the passageway and destroys it.

Other facts, which from the statement of counsel for Gustins [408]*408exist, are that the (Justins and Darnells are not on friendly terms and that the (Justins claim that Darnells have no easement over their land and that it has been abandoned for many years. These facts make it impossible for Gustins and Darnells to settle among themselves what interest, if any, the Darnells have in the award made by the jury for the Gustin land and would have made it impossible for them to have agreed on the course to follow in the trial of the case if Darnells participated therein.

The validity of Darnells’ claim to an easement over the Gustin land not having been judicially determined, we shall have to assume for the purpose of answering the question now before us, that they do have such an easement and that it has been severed and destroyed by the new highway. What then are their rights and how are they to be protected? How do they get their day in court and when they have their day, how is the amount of their damages determined and who pays them? These are the questions that must be answered in ruling upon the motions now before us.

We have considered very carefully the decisions of the Ohio Supreme Court in the case of In re Appropriation for Highway Purposes: Thormyer v. Joseph Evans Ice Cream Co., 167 Ohio St., 463; 5 Ohio Opinions (2d), 149 and the case of Sowers v. Schaeffer, 155 Ohio St., 454, 44 Ohio Opinions, 419, also, Preston v. Miller, 115 Ohio App., 48. It is the rule of law as stated in these cases when applied to the facts of this case that has caused the court much trouble in arriving at a solution to the problems presented.

That the taking of private property for a public use requires compensation to the owner, by the provisions of both the State and Federal Constitutions, is so fundamental that the provisions need not be restated here.

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190 N.E.2d 65, 91 Ohio Law. Abs. 404, 24 Ohio Op. 2d 232, 1963 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 259, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-appropriation-of-gustin-ohctcomplscioto-1963.