Title: Dorroh v. Jefferson County

State: alabama

Issuer: Alabama Supreme Court

Document:

87 So. 2d 619 (1956)
B. H. DORROH et ux.
v.
JEFFERSON COUNTY.
6 Div. 759.

Supreme Court of Alabama.
May 24, 1956.
Wm. H. Ellis, Birmingham, for appellants.
Maurice F. Bishop, Birmingham, for appellee.
LIVINGSTON, Chief Justice.
This cause originated by the application for an order of condemnation filed in the Probate Court of Jefferson County, Alabama, in which Jefferson County sought to acquire the property of the appellants for the purpose of widening the Birmingham-Atlanta highway. The application was granted by the probate court, whereupon commissioners were appointed to assess the damages and compensation to which appellants were entitled. Following the commissioners' report, and the payment of the award into court, an order of condemnation was entered by the probate court. The appellants then filed an appeal to the circuit court from the decree of condemnation of the probate court, under Title 19, § 17, Code of Alabama 1940, and demanded a trial by a jury. A trial was had, which resulted in a verdict in favor of the appellants in the amount of $1,250, and a judgment entered accordingly. Appellants filed a timely motion for a new trial, and after hearing arguments on the motion, the trial judge overruled it, and the property owners appealed.
Appellants' most seriously argued contention on this appeal is that the trial court erred in overruling the motion for new trial on the ground that the verdict of the jury is inadequate. Appellants contend that the *620 verdict is so inadequate as to indicate bias, prejudice, corruption, or other improper motives against them. In support of this contention, appellants submitted as part of the motion for new trial an affidavit by the appellant, B. H. Dorroh, that shortly before the trial in the circuit court, a newspaper article had appeared in the local paper giving an account of a real estate swindle perpetrated by one with the same surname as the appellant, and that it is reasonable to believe that the jury could, and probably did, assume that the swindler and appellant were one and the same person. There was no evidence that any of the jury had read or been influenced by the newspaper article.
Where it is not shown that some juror saw or read the newspaper article, a new trial is properly refused on the ground that the verdict was the result of prejudice created by that article. Caldwell v. State, 203 Ala. 412, 84 So. 272.
Appellants' evidence tended to show that appellants' home is situated on the tract of land, a part of which was sought to be condemned; that it is located on a hill above the old highway, and it was shown that the widening of the highway would cause the right of way to be moved considerably closer to appellants' house and would leave the house situated above a cut ranging to as much as 40 feet deep. Appellants' witness testified that the land to be taken contained two good building lots of a value of $4,950. On the other hand, an expert witness for the appellee testified to facts indicating that it would not be feasible to use the land for that purpose. Appellants' expert witness, Andrews, testified that the difference in market value before and after the condemnation and the construction of the road would be about $7,500. The appellant, B. H. Dorroh, testified that the value of the land to be taken was $6,250, and the damages to his driveway would amount to $750. Both of these witnesses testified to possible uses to which the property could be put, and to the fact that appellants were receiving pay for the rental of part of the land upon which a large advertising signboard had been erected.
The expert witness who testified for the appellee set the damages to appellants' property at $1,000, and testified to facts upon which he based that figure. His qualifications as a real estate appraiser were equally as good as those of the appellant, B. H. Dorroh, and appellants' witness, Andrews.
Our authorities governing the review of the rulings of trial courts on rulings on motions for new trial on the ground of inadequacy of the damages are collected in Yarbrough v. Mallory, 225 Ala. 579, 144 So. 447, 449, in which this court said:
"We adhere to these views.
In determining the adequacy of the damages, the verdict itself in connection with the facts as disclosed by the record usually furnishes the determining data. Sturdivant v. Crawford, 240 Ala. 383, 199 So. 537; Alabama Gas Co. v. Jones, 244 Ala. 413, 13 So. 2d 873.
Thornton v. City of Birmingham, 250 Ala. 651, 35 So. 2d 545, 549, 7 A.L.R.2d 773, is particularly applicable to the case now before us. In that case, it was said:
In the case before us, as in Thornton v. City of Birmingham, supra, there is a great variance between the contentions of the parties as to the damages sustained as a result of the condemnation, and there are experts testifying for both sides who are equally worthy of belief. The amount of damages assessed by the jury is considerably below the amount claimed by the appellants, and it is somewhat higher than the lowest figure set by the witness for the appellee. Under these conditions, it is impossible *622 to say that the verdict is not supported by the evidence, or that it is contrary to the preponderance of the evidence. The action of the trial court in denying the motion for a new trial on the ground of the inadequacy of the damages must be upheld under our decisions.
The trial court properly sustained an objection to a question propounded by appellants' counsel which called for appellant, B. H. Dorroh, to give his opinion as to the amount of damages his property would sustain by the proposed road construction. Under our decisions, a witness cannot give his opinion as to the amount of damage. The witness must testify to facts upon which the jury can base a determination of the amount of the damages. Atlanta & Birmingham Air Line Ry. Co. v. Brown, 158 Ala. 607, 48 So. 73; Bragan v. Birmingham Ry., Light & Power Co., 163 Ala. 93, 51 So. 30; Alabama Power Co. v. Thompson, 250 Ala. 7, 32 So. 2d 795, 9 A.L.R.2d 974.
The statement made by the appellant, B. H. Dorroh, while testifying, that, "They [noises and fumes from the highway] get to me, but not as bad as I expect them to later," was properly excluded on motion of appellee's counsel as being not responsive to the question asked him. Stowers Furniture Co. v. Brake, 158 Ala. 639, 48 So. 89; Atlanta & St. Andrews Bay Ry. Co. v. Fowler, 192 Ala. 373, 68 So. 283; Louisville & N. R. Co. v. Manning, 255 Ala. 43, 50 So. 2d 153.
Appellants contend that the trial court erred in refusing to admit into evidence a building permit offered by appellants. The record reveals that the following action took place at the time the alleged error was committed:
"The Court: What is this date?
"Mr. Ellis: May 13, 1949.
"The Court: I will sustain the objection.
"Mr. Ellis: I believe that's all."
The record reveals that there was no ruling by the trial court on the admissibility of the building permit. The objection on which the court ruled appears to be a tardy objection to the question asked the witness and not one to the introduction of the building permit. It is elementary that in absence of an adverse ruling to the party complaining, there is nothing for this court to review.
Appellants' assignment of error number 6 complains of the trial court's action in sustaining appellee's objection to a question asked the expert witness who testified in favor of the appellee. That question was so patently improper as to require no discussion here. It is sufficient to say that the trial court did not err in his ruling.
Having carefully considered each assignment of error which is argued and having found no error, we conclude that the judgment of the trial court is due to be affirmed.
Affirmed.
LAWSON, STAKELY and MERRILL, JJ., concur.