§ 19-21-16 — Assessment of damages by jury

Any property owner may accept the assessment of damages in his favor made by the appraisers, or acquiesce in their failure to assess damages in his favor, and shall be construed to have done so unless he gives to such board of supervisors, within thirty days after the assessment is filed, notice in writing that he demands an assessment of damages by a jury, in which event the board of supervisors shall institute in the circuit court an action to condemn the lands that must be taken or damaged in the making of such improvement, which action shall be in accordance with the proceedings for condemnation of rights-of-way by railroad, telegraph and telephone companies, with the right of paying into court a sum to be fixed by the circuit court or judge and of proceeding with the work before assessment by the jury. If there is more than one claimant to the lands and to the fund paid into court, all claimants may be made parties defendant in such suit, leaving the claimants to contest in that action their respective rights to the fund.