State ex rel. Johnson v. Central Nebraska Public Power & Irrigation District

300 N.W. 379, 140 Neb. 471, 1941 Neb. LEXIS 219
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 17, 1941
DocketNo. 31157
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 300 N.W. 379 (State ex rel. Johnson v. Central Nebraska Public Power & Irrigation District) 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
State ex rel. Johnson v. Central Nebraska Public Power & Irrigation District, 300 N.W. 379, 140 Neb. 471, 1941 Neb. LEXIS 219 (Neb. 1941).

Opinion

Simmons, C. J.

The plaintiffs filed their petition in the district court for Lincoln county, alleging that the state is the owner and the plaintiff Martin, a resident of Lincoln county, the lessee of. certain lands in Lincoln county; that the defendant is a corporation organized under the laws of the state and engaged in the construction and operation of power and irrigation works; that the defendant unlawfully entered upon the land and constructed an irrigation canal across the same; that defendant commenced eminent domain proceedings in Lincoln county to condemn the interest of Martin in the premises without making the state a party to said proceedings; that as a result of the construction of said canal the land has been separated into twro parts not accessible to each other unless a bridge is constructed across the canal thereby connecting the two tracts, and that the construction of the bridge is necessary for the free and convenient use of the lands; that it is the legal duty of the defendant to construct the bridge; that it has refused to do so and that plaintiff has no adequate remedy at law. Plaintiffs pray for a writ of mandamus to compel the construction of the bridge.

An alternative writ was issued and served upon the defendant by leaving the same with its president in Adanes county.

Defendant filed a special appearance, supported by an affidavit setting out that it is a public power and irrigation district organized under the provisions of article 7, ch. 70, Comp. St. Supp. 1939, with its office and principal place of business in Adams county; that it comprises Gosper, Phelps, Kearney and Adams counties, and is not located within and has never been within Lincoln county; that it can perform official duties and acts only in Adams [473]*473county and cannot perform official acts in Lincoln county; that no summons was served upon it; and that the alternative writ was served upon it in Adams county.

The trial court sustained the special appearance and plaintiffs appeal.

The question directly presented is: Was the venue of the action properly laid in Lincoln county?

Plaintiffs base their action upon the provisions of section 46-611, Comp. St. 1929, which is as follows: “Any person, constructing a ditch or canal through the lands of another, having no interest in said ditch' or canal shall build such ditch or canal in a substantial manner so as to prevent damage to such land. In all cases where necessary for the free and convenient use of lands on both sides of the ditch or canal by the owner or owners of such lands, the owner or those in control of such ditch shall erect substantial and convenient bridges across such canal or ditch, and they shall erect and keep in order suitable gates at the point of entrance and exit of such ditch through any inclosed field.”

Plaintiffs, to support their contention that the venue of the action is in Lincoln county, rely upon the following two provisions of the statutes. Section 20-401, Comp. St. 1929, is as follows: “All actions to recover damages for any trespass upon or any injury to real estate shall be brought only in the county where such real estate or some part thereof is situated, but such actions may be brought against corporations owning or operating any line of railroad in the state in any county where service of summons can be had, and all actions for the following causes must be brought in the county in which the subject of the action is situated, except as provided in the next following section: First. For the recovery of real property or of an estate or interest therein; Second. For the partition of real property; Third. For the sale of real property under a mortgage, lien or other incumbrance or charge,” Section 20-404, Comp. St. 1929, is as follows: “Actions for the following causes must be brought in the county where the [474]*474cause or some part thereof arose: First. An action for the recovery of a fine, forfeiture, or penalty, imposed by a statute, except that when it is imposed for an offense committed on a river, or other stream of water, or road, which is the boundary of two or more counties, the action may be brought in any county bordering on such river, watercourse or road and opposite to where the offense was committed; Second. An action against a public officer, * * * or for any neglect of his official duty; Third. An action on the official bond or undertaking of a public officer.”

Defendant, contending that an action for mandamus against it must be brought in the county where it is situated or has its principal office or place of business, relies upon section 20-405, Comp. St. 1929, which is as follows: “Actions against corporations created by the laws of this state may be brought as follows: First. Any action other than those mentioned in the first three sections of this chapter (20-401 to 20-403) may be brought in the county in which the corporation is situated or has its principal office or place of business; * '* *”

Defendant further contends that it is a public or municipal corporation, and that as such it can act only at its principal place of business, which is fixed by its articles as in Adams county, and cites decisions of courts as sustaining its contention.

What provision of the statute controls the venue of this action? It is clear from the above quoted provisions of the statutes, and others to which reference will be made, that the legislative intent is generally that the venue of actions involving the determination of the title to land, rights and interests therein and damages thereto, shall be in the county wherein the land lies, and that the location of the land is a superior consideration to the location of the parties in determining the proper venue for such actions. In the absence of clear and specific statutory provisions as to the venue of an action, the substantial nature of the issues involved in an action and the statutory pro[475]*475visions as to analogous situations may be followed to determine the proper venue. 67 C. J. 20.

Plaintiff’s land is in Lincoln county; the defendant constructed its ditch across this land; its act in so doing made necessary the construction of the bridge, and the obligation to construct the bridge results from the construction of the ditch; the bridge, if constructed, must be built upon land in Lincoln county. The statutory requirement that the bridge be constructed is to restore in part the “free and convenient use of the lands” which the owner formerly had. The purpose is to compensate, in part, for the damage caused to the land by the construction of the ditch. Clearly, under the provisions of section 20-401, supra, an action for damages to real estate must be brought in the county where the real estate is situated. It appears reasonable to hold that an action to compel the construction of a bridge which compensates in part for damages caused to real estate be likewise brought in the county where the land is situated. In the absence of any showing to the contrary, the bridge, if built, becomes a part of the real estate. The failure of defendant to build the bridge is “an injury to the real estate.” The substantial nature of the issue here is one of recovery for damages, even though the form of the action is in mandamus.

Section 20-404, supra, is relied upon by the plaintiffs, and defendant contends that it is not applicable.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
300 N.W. 379, 140 Neb. 471, 1941 Neb. LEXIS 219, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-johnson-v-central-nebraska-public-power-irrigation-neb-1941.