Mayben v. State

140 S.W.2d 564, 1940 Tex. App. LEXIS 376
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedApril 12, 1940
DocketNo. 1987
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 140 S.W.2d 564 (Mayben v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mayben v. State, 140 S.W.2d 564, 1940 Tex. App. LEXIS 376 (Tex. Ct. App. 1940).

Opinion

GRISSOM, Justice.

This is an appeal from a judgment in a condemnation proceeding, instituted by the State, acting through the Commissioners’ Court of Dawson County, Texas, wherein a right-of-way across Sam Mayben’s farm was condemned for use as a state highway. The Commissioners awarded Mayben $211.-95 for the land taken for highway purposes. No question is presented as to said award for the land actually taken. The jury failed to award any damages to the remainder of Mayben’s farm not taken for highway purposes. From a judgment denying compensation to Mayben for damages to his land not taken for highway purposes, he has appealed.

Mayben’s contention is, in substance, that the undisputed evidence shows he sustained injuries peculiar to him and connected with his ownership, use and enjoyment of that part of his farm not actually taken for highway purposes, and further that the undisputed evidence shows the benefits he received, by the increase in the value.of said land, if any, by virtue of the building of the highway, were not benefits peculiar to him, but were such as were received in common with the community generally.

The evidence discloses that the new highway, instead of running along the east side of Mayben’s 480-acre farm and parallel with its east boundary line, as the old road or highway does, entered Mayben’s farm a very short distance west of its southeast corner and gradually curves northward, cutting off a very narrow strip of land in the southeast corner, which strip gradually grows larger as the highway goes northwest, leaving the north boundary line of the 25-acre strip so cut off apparently several times the length of its south boundary line. There are two sets of improvements on the 480-acre farm. The new highway divides the two sets of improvements leaving on the larger tract, of about 347 acres, a three-room residence, barn and well lo[565]*565cated near the southeast corner of said tract, and a two-room house, barn and well on the 25-acre tract cut off by the highway, said improvements being located near the northeast corner of said 480-acre tract. The evidence shows that the building of the -highway in the manner and at the place at which it was built, will require fencing by Mayben of his farm adjoining the highway so that it may be used for the purpose and in the manner substantially as it has been heretofore; that the new highway comes slightly closer to one set of improvements than before, the main house being approximately 40 or 50 feet from the outside edge of the new highway and several trees were dug up at this residence to make room for the highway; the drainage and flow 'of water Has" been affected by the building of this highway, resulting in the formation of a lake upon the main tract of land that will prevent the use, for agricultural purposes, of about 10 acres of land upon the larger tract. That the removal of some of the improvements will probably he necessary for a proper and reasonable use of the new premises.

There was evidence by witnesses for the State to the effect that farms belonging to said witnesses had been crossed by another highway in the county and that said witnesses’ farms had increased in value as the result thereof. There was also evidence that, in the opinion of said witnesses, the value of Mayben’s farm had been increased by the building of said highway across it. With the exception of the witness, Wade Bartlett, who was Mayben’s witness, and whose testimony does not raise the issue of special benefits to Mayben’s land, both the State and Mayben rely upon the testimony of the same three witnesses to support their respective contentions that the evidence was, or was not, sufficient to make it a question for the jury whether or not Mayben’s land, not taken for highway purposes, received benefits peculiar to Mayben, and not received generally by the landowners in that community. Said witnesses are L. B. Stewart, H. H. Barron and Elmer Barron.

H. H. Barron testified, in substance, that he owned 160 acres “south of town”; that highway No. 9 (not the highway in question) in 1934 (not the time in question) crossed his said farm, “angling across it”, cutting off about 35 acres on the east side. That, in his opinion, the value of said 35 acres, so cut off, was increased $10 or $15 per acre. With reference to the effect of the highway in question being built across Mayben’s farm, the witness testified:

“Q. Now, just as a general proposition, I believe that your’s has advantages that are not had out here with this land of Mr. Mayben, but as a general proposition,. this highway should it run diagonally across it and cut off about twenty-five acres of land with one set of Mr. Mayben’s improvements and cutting off the remainder of his cultivated land with the other set of improvements, do you think that that would increase the value of his land under those conditions? A. It is owing to the distance it is from town. I don’t know just how far it is out there.

“Q. We will say three miles from town. A. That is about the same distance as mine.
“Q. Yes. A. J think it would. T think on the smaller tract of land.
“Q. Well, the fact that it came to a point, say one end, the south end, was one inch wide and the north end about two or three hunderd yards, do you think that would have any difference, make any difference in a man selecting it for a home? A. It would make some.
“Q. To the advantage or disadvantage? A. Disadvantage.
“Q. How much an acre do you think that would damage it being cut into that shape, how much would it damage that farm? A. Well, it is owing to how he handled it and how he sold it out. * * *
“Q. Now, Mr. Barron, don’t you feel that the splitting of a farm that way disregarding general benefits that the road would bring, general to the community, don’t you feel that it would really be a special injury to that place for it to run in that condition through there? A. Well, I don’t think it would benefit him as much as it would a fellow that got the benefit that didn’t have his land cut. * * *
“Q. Well, what we are trying to get at is the special advantages to this particular tract of land. Now, are there any advantages to that particular tract that are not general to the community or the adjacent lands by reason of that highway running through the farm? A. No, not where the highway is easy to get to.
“Q.- Where it is in the immediate vicinity? A. Where it is easy to get right on it and come right to' town. * * *
[566]*566“Q. Then, Mr. Barron, as I understand it, it is your opinion that this Mayben farm would be worth more money with this highway running across it, even though it does cut this little tract off, though it runs across it, than it was before, that it will enhance the value of it, is that correct? A. Yes, it will increase the value of it some.
“Q. It would also increase the value of all adjacent land the same, wouldn’t it, wouldn’t be a special enhancement of value to that particular tract but general to the community? A. Those that touched the highway, where the highway is easy to get to, would be the same.”

Elmer Barron testified that, in his opinion, the building of the highway across Mayben’s farm would increase the value of the farm as a whole, but he further testified:

“Q.

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Bluebook (online)
140 S.W.2d 564, 1940 Tex. App. LEXIS 376, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mayben-v-state-texapp-1940.