Title: URBAN RENEWAL AG. OF CITY OF ABERDEEN v. Tackett
Citation: 255 So. 2d 904
Docket Number: 46447
State: Mississippi
Issuer: Mississippi Supreme Court
Date: December 13, 1971

255 So. 2d 904 (1971) The URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY OF the CITY OF ABERDEEN, Mississippi v. Johnny N. TACKETT. No. 46447. Supreme Court of Mississippi. December 13, 1971. Pogue &amp; Jonas, Aberdeen, for appellant. Houston &amp; Chamberlin, Aberdeen, for appellee. JONES, Justice: Avoiding prolixity, we are confining the statement of facts herein to those essential to an understanding of the law here reannounced. It was alleged the appellant (hereinafter Urban) had wilfully trespassed on Tackett's land and destroyed ornamental trees. The action was against Urban and the contractor who actually destroyed the trees. The verdict and judgment omitted the contractor and found only Urban liable for $720 for eighteen trees at $40 per tree. The suit was based on Section 1076, Mississippi Code 1942 Annotated (1956) which reads as follows: *905 This statute gives no right to recover actual damages, but only a penalty. Floyd v. Williams, 198 Miss. 350, 22 So. 2d 365 (1945). A municipality is not liable for punitive damages because of the acts of its servants or agents unless authorized by statute. Town of Newton v. Wilson, 128 Miss. 726, 91 So. 419 (1922). No such statute is cited, nor is one found by us. The question is therefore presented: Is Urban a municipality or such an arm or part thereof as to come within this rule? Urban was created by our Legislature in 1958. Section 7342-16, Mississippi Code 1942 Annotated (Supp. 1971) is one of the sections enacted and reads, in part, as follows: Chapter 518, Laws of 1958 enumerates the power of a municipality as to urban renewals. Section 7342-15, Mississippi Code 1942 Annotated (Supp. 1971) contains this: Section 7342-15(b) reserves to the municipality the power to do certain acts. The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Aberdeen as heretofore shown was created as "a public body corporate and politic." One definition of "body corporate" is stated in 11 C.J.S. Body page 379 (1938) as: "... a body constituted of all the inhabitants within the corporate limits of an incorporated area." "Body politic" is defined in 11 C.J.S. Body page 380 (1938) as: The Board of Mississippi Levee Commissioners was created in 1865 to perform certain duties as to overflows in certain counties along the Mississippi River. The Act made the Board of appointed commissioners a "body politic and corporate," and this Court held that body within the rule. Lowe v. Board of Levee Commissioners, 19 So. 346 (Miss. 1896); Nugent v. Board of Mississippi Levee Commissioners, 58 Miss. 197 (1880). *906 These authorities clearly demonstrate that Urban in this case was created as a public body corporate and politic to handle many of the matters involving municipal functions as to urban renewal; and that it is a large part of the municipality or a strong arm thereof, having only to do with municipal actions and comes within the immunity of municipalities from punitive damages. This case is hereby reversed, and judgment is entered here for appellant. Reversed and judgment here for appellant. RODGERS, P.J., and BRADY, INZER and ROBERTSON, JJ., concur.