reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
TN Code § 54-12-103 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-103. Petition for Road Improvement District

  Before any monthly county court establishes a road improvement district as defined in § 54-12-101, a petition, signed by twenty-five percent (25%) of the landowners in the district who will be affected by or liable to be assessed for the expenses of the proposed improvement, shall be filed in the office of county clerk in which the improvement is to be made.   The petition shall describe the lands proposed to be included in the district by metes and bounds, or otherwise so as to convey intelligible description of the lands, and likewise the termini and general location of the road or roads shall be given in the petition. Likewise, the petition shall allege that the roads proposed are for the public benefit and utility. The petition shall have other allegations necessary to give the court a clear understanding of the necessity for the proposed road and the benefits it will be to the public.   An attorney may sign the names of the landowners to the petition as in other cases.
TN Code § 54-12-104 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-104. Bond for Costs and Expenses — Increase in Penalty or Security

  There shall be filed with the petition a bond, with adequate security in a penal sum that the county clerk deems adequate, to be approved by the county clerk, and conditioned for the payment of the costs and expenses of this proceeding, provided the prayer of the petition is not granted, or the petition is dismissed for any cause.   The county court may at any time have the bond increased in penalty or security.
TN Code § 54-12-105 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-105. Road Improvement District Confined to Boundaries of County

 The bounds proposed to be embraced in the improvement district shall not go beyond the boundaries of the county in which the petition is filed, and the petition shall be accompanied by a general plat showing the location of the improvement district and the relation to the lines of the county in which it is created.
TN Code § 54-12-106 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-106. Petitioners May Employ Counsel in Preliminary Matters — Compensation for Services, Fixing

  The petitioners for the improvement district are authorized to employ counsel to assist in filing the petition and in all preliminary matters necessary in having the district established, and attending to the matters of the district, so far as may be necessary, and so far as the monthly county court may think needed after the district is ordered established, contracting with the attorneys for the amount to be paid for their services, which contract shall be ratified and approved by the monthly county court, if deemed reasonable.    If not reasonable, the monthly county court shall, by order, fix the amount to be allowed for legal services, fixing the amount as it deems reasonable and proper.   The amount of fees fixed for legal services shall become a debt and charge against the district as other preliminary expenses are, such as charges for services of an engineer, etc., and to be paid in like manner.
TN Code § 54-12-107 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-107. Committee for Petitioners in Preliminary Matters in Establishing District — Compensation

  The petitioners are authorized to select from their number a committee of three (3) or five (5), as they deem expedient, which committee shall act for the petitioners in all preliminary matters as their services may be needed in having the district established, and which committee shall have the power to bind the petitioners in all preliminary matters looking to the establishment of the district.   This committee shall elect out of its members officers it deems necessary, and shall keep a record of the committee's proceedings.   The members of this committee shall receive for service compensation as fixed by the monthly county court, and paid out of the funds of the district when established in the same way as is provided for the payment of other just charges against the district.
TN Code § 54-12-108 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-108. Contents of Petition — Hearing — Publication for Landowner Defendants

  The court shall set a day for a hearing, and direct publication be made for all landowners set out in the petition who are not petitioners, when:  A petition is filed with all the necessary allegations, and the petition is sworn to, by one (1) or more of the petitioners, and shows that sixty percent (60%) in acres of the land within the boundaries of the district sought to be created is owned by the petitioners;   The petition is accompanied by a general plat, and a general description of the district sought to be created;   A description by surrounding landowners is given in the petition of the respective tracts of land, within the bounds, and the names of the owners of the tracts who are not petitioners, are set out in the petition;   The petitioners ask that provision be made for funds to defray the preliminary costs and expenses up to that stage in the proceedings where the report of the commissioners for the assessment of benefits has been filed and confirmed; and   The monthly county court deems it expedient that provisions should be made for a fund to cover the preliminary costs and expenses.     Publication shall be made in some newspaper published in the county in which the district is located, and if located in more than one (1) county, then in a newspaper in each county, the publications to be for three (3) consecutive weeks, the last publication to be at least ten (10) days before the day set for the hearing. The publication shall notify the landowners of the pending suit, and the prayer for the creation of a fund to pay the preliminary costs and expenses, and the day fixed for the hearing, and notify them to appear and show cause why an assessment to create the fund should not be made.
TN Code § 54-12-109 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-109. Objections, Filing — Assessment for Preliminary Costs and Expenses — Decree

  The landowners shall make their appearance and file their objections, if any, on or before twelve o'clock (12:00) noon of the day set for hearing.   After the hour fixed for the filing of objections, the monthly county court shall proceed to hear and determine the matter of making an assessment to raise a fund for the payment of the preliminary costs and expenses.   The court will determine from the proof offered, approximately, the amount necessary to cover the cost and expenses, and if the court is of the opinion that it is not expedient to make an assessment for those purposes, the court shall so decree; but if the court is of the opinion that it is expedient, the court shall make an assessment for the amount determined upon the respective tracts of land set out in the petition, and make the assessment on the basis of acreage.
TN Code § 54-12-110 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-110. Appeal From Decision

  Any party aggrieved may appeal from the decision of the monthly county court in making the assessment, or refusing to make the assessment.   The appeal shall be made in the same manner and upon the same terms provided for appeals from the action of the monthly county court in creating or refusing to create a road improvement district as provided in §§ 54-12-141 — 54-12-149.
TN Code § 54-12-111 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-111. Collection Dates Fixed Upon Assessment Being Made — Assessment List Certified to Trustee to Collect — Compensation

 When the assessment has been made, the monthly county court shall fix the dates within which the assessment shall be collected, and the county clerk shall make out an assessment list or book, giving alphabetically the name of the owner, and the boundaries of the land, the number of acres, and the amount assessed against each tract, and the county clerk will make the same substantially in the form used for state and county tax books, and when so made, the county clerk shall certify the same to the trustee of the county, and it is the duty of the trustee to proceed at once to collect the assessments within the dates prescribed by the court; and the trustee will pay the amount collected on the assessments to the county clerk, to be paid out by the county clerk on the costs and expenses under the orders of the court, and for collecting, and paying over the assessments, the trustee shall be allowed as compensation two percent (2%) of the amount collected and paid over.
TN Code § 54-12-112 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-112. Lien for Assessment — Enforcement

  The assessment shall be a lien on the respective tracts of land upon which it is assessed.   This lien shall be enforced in the same manner as provided for the enforcement of liens in §§ 54-12-412 — 54-12-421.
TN Code § 54-12-113 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-113. Bonds of Trustee and Clerk

 The county trustee or trustees, before receiving the assessment roll or book and proceeding to the collection of the assessments, and the county clerk, before receiving the funds from the trustee or trustees, shall respectively enter into a bond in double the amount that will come into their hands, respectively, payable to the state, and conditioned for the faithful paying over and accounting for the funds arising from the assessment.
TN Code § 54-12-114 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-114. Proceeding for Cost and Expense Fund Not to Delay Other Proceedings — Sixty Percent Acreage Provision

 The proceeding to create a fund for the payment of the cost and expenses shall not interfere with or delay the other proceeding, and the matter, in all other respects, may be proceeded with as provided in this part, and as provided by law; provided, that the sixty percent (60%) acreage provision of § 54-12-108 shall only apply to and be limited to a proceeding under this part.
TN Code § 54-12-115 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-115. Preliminary Expenses May Be Paid by Order of County Legislative Body — Refund Out of Assessments or Bonds of Petitioners

  The preliminary expense of the road improvement district provided for by this part, not including contracts for construction, may be paid by order of the county legislative body in which the lands lie, out of the general county fund.   The preliminary expense, if so paid, shall be refunded to the county out of assessments collected from the lands of the improvement district, when so collected, and if not so repaid for any reason, then to be adjudged against and collected out of the bond of the petitioners required by this part, and thus repaid to the county.
TN Code § 54-12-116 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-116. Contributions or Donations of Preliminary Expenses or Parts of Expenses Without Requiring Refund

  The county legislative body shall have the right to contribute, out of the general county fund, an amount it sees fit to be used in the payment of the preliminary expenses, without requiring the amount to be paid back or refunded to the county.   Where any county has previously, by order of the county legislative body, advanced or paid any of the preliminary expenses, the county legislative body may, if it sees fit, by proper order, donate the amount, or any part of the amount, and not require the amount so donated or contributed to be paid back or refunded to the county.
TN Code § 54-12-117 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-117. Petitioners Required to Pay Preliminary Expenses — Judgment on Their Bond

 If the county legislative body should not see fit to order the preliminary expenses be paid, and the parties to whom the expenses are owing are not willing to agree to wait until a fund for their payment can be provided by special assessments upon the district, then the county legislative body, by proper order, shall require the petitioner to pay to the county clerk a fund sufficient to pay the preliminary expenses, and the bond required of petitioners by this part shall be liable for the preliminary expenses, and judgment on the bonds may be rendered at any time by the county legislative body to the end the fund for expenses be provided, just as the county legislative body renders judgment on cost bonds, and one (1) judgment shall not prevent other judgments on the same bond, so the sum of the judgments does not exceed the penalty of the bond.
TN Code § 54-12-118 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-118. Fund for Expenses May Be Paid as Needed

 The fund for expenses may be paid in from time to time, under the orders of the monthly county court, as the fund may be needed.
TN Code § 54-12-119 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-119. Refund to Petitioners and Their Sureties Paying Preliminary Expenses

 All sums paid by the petitioners or their sureties on their bonds shall be refunded and repaid to the person or persons paying the sums out of the funds of the improvement district when the funds have been realized under parts 2 and 4 of this chapter.
TN Code § 54-12-120 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-120. Engineer

 After the petition has been filed and bond taken and approved, the monthly county court shall at the first session thereafter, regular, special, or adjourned, and may at a later session, appoint a disinterested and competent engineer, and have placed in the engineer's hands a copy of the petition.
TN Code § 54-12-121 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-121. Compensation of Engineers

 The engineers appointed under this part by the monthly county courts shall be paid for their services at rates the courts appointing them fix; and if not fixed, at the rate of five dollars ($5.00) per day while engaged in the work. In addition, they shall be paid all actual traveling expenses, an itemized account of the expenses to be kept by them and reported and sworn to.
TN Code § 54-12-122 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-122. Engineer to Survey and Locate Roads and Improvements

 The engineer shall proceed to examine the land described in the petition and any other lands that may be benefited by the improvement or necessary in carrying out the improvement and survey and locate the road or improvements, as may be practicable to carry out the purposes of the petition and that will be of public benefit and utility or conducive to the public welfare.
TN Code § 54-12-123 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-123. Engineer's Return — Contents

 The engineer shall make returns of and file the engineer's proceedings with the county clerk, which returns shall set forth the starting point, the route, the terminus or termini of the road or roads, or other improvements, such as the necessary bridges and culverts on the road or roads and the course and the length of the road or roads approximately through each tract of land as far as practicable, and the boundary of the proposed district and the description of each tract of land in the district as shown by the tax books, the names of the owners of the land as shown by the tax books, the probable cost of the improvement, and other facts and recommendations deemed material.
TN Code § 54-12-124 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-124. Recalling Engineer and Appointing Another

 The monthly county court may at any time recall the appointment of any engineer made under this part, if deemed advisable to do so, and appoint a replacement.
TN Code § 54-12-125 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-125. Survey and Location of Roads Along General Course of Present Roads — Exception

 The roads provided for in this part shall be surveyed and located along the general course of the present roads between the termini set forth in the report, unless there is some good and sufficient reason why the course should be departed from to secure a new, better, or shorter road, or for any other good reason and having due regard to the straightening and shortening of the existing roads and the reduction of the grades on the existing roads.
TN Code § 54-12-126 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-126. Engineer to Submit Itemized Expense Account or Do Work for Stipulated Sum

 The engineer may employ necessary help such as axmen, rodmen, etc., returning an itemized expense account; or the court may contract with the engineer to furnish the engineer all help needed such as axmen, rodmen, etc., and to do the entire work or any specific part of the work, for a sum agreed upon and stipulated.
TN Code § 54-12-127 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-127. Expediency of Plan — Determination by Court — Submission of Second Plan

  Upon the filing of the return of the engineer, the monthly county court shall examine the return, and if the plan seems to be expedient and meets the approval of the court, it shall order the county clerk to cause notice to be given as provided in §§ 54-12-128 — 54-12-131; but if it does not appear to be expedient, and it is not approved, the court is authorized to direct the engineer or another selected by it to prepare another plan.   If the court deems the proposed improvement inexpedient or inadvisable after an examination of the return of the engineer or after a second further return, it may dismiss the petition and proceedings, and, in that event, it shall adjudge all costs and expenses incurred against the petitioners and the sureties on the bond.
TN Code § 54-12-128 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-128. Summons or Writ Issued — Served Upon Whom

  When the plan, if any, has finally met the approval of the monthly county court, the court shall order the county clerk to issue a summons or writ to the sheriff of the proper county, the writ to run in the name of the state, commanding the sheriff to summon the persons named in the writ to appear before the monthly county court on the day set by it for the hearing of the petition.   The writ or summons shall name the owners of all tracts or lots of land not petitioners, within the proposed road improvement district, as shown by the tax books of the county, or by affidavit filed, and upon the persons in actual occupancy of the lands or lots, and also upon any lienholder or encumbrancer of any land in the proposed district, as shown by the county records, and shall notify them of the pendency of the petition and the prayer of the petition, but no copy of the petition shall accompany the writ.
TN Code § 54-12-129 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-129. Service of Writ — Acknowledgement

 The writ shall be served at least ten (10) days before the time set for the hearing of the matter of the petition, but shall not be issued for or served upon any of the persons described in § 54-12-128, who shall file with the clerk a statement in writing, signed by the party entering an appearance at the hearing and waiving any additional notice, or the service of the writ may be acknowledged.
TN Code § 54-12-130 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-130. Publication for Nonresidents, or Those Whose Names or Residences Are Unknown

  In case any such owner, lienholder or encumbrancer is a nonresident of the state, or the person's name or residence cannot be ascertained after diligent inquiry, and these facts are made to appear by affidavit filed, then publication shall be made for the owner, lienholder or encumbrancer for two (2) consecutive weeks in some newspaper of the county where the proceedings are pending, notifying the party or parties of the pendency and prayer of the petition, and to appear at the time set for the hearing on the petition, the last publication to be at least ten (10) days before the time set for hearing.   Proof of publication may be made as provided by law in chancery cases, and those who are actual owners, lienholders or encumbrancers may be made to appear to the clerk by the affidavit of any person acquainted with the facts or by the averments of the petition if sworn.
TN Code § 54-12-131 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-131. Writ or Publication Need Not State Contents of Petition or Its Prayer

 The writ or summons and the publication notice need not give or set out in any detail the contents of the petition or of its prayer.
TN Code § 54-12-132 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 54 - Highways, Bridges and Ferries|Chapter 12 - Road Improvement Districts|Part 1 - Establishment|§ 54-12-132. Adjournment Until Notice Given — Jurisdiction Not Lost — Appearance Without Formal Answer

  If at the time set for hearing it appears to the monthly county court that any person entitled to notice as provided in §§ 54-12-128 — 54-12-131 has not received notice, the hearing shall be adjourned until the person can be given the required notice, and the court shall not lose jurisdiction of the subject matter or of the persons already properly notified by the adjournment or postponement.   The person concerned may appear and be heard without formally answering the petition in writing; provided, that the writ or summons and the publication notice need not give or set out in any detail the contents of the petition or its prayer.