Opinion ID: 1325859
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Applicability of Section 28-2-510(C).

Text: The School District argues the master erred in awarding attorneys' fees to Kiriakides under section 28-2-510(C) of the South Carolina Eminent Domain Procedure Act because the statute is inapplicable. The School District asserts that, although it served Kiriakides with a Condemnation Notice and Tender of Payment, it never filed the notice with the circuit court; therefore, the action was never commenced. Consequently, it is not liable for attorneys' fees for the abandonment of a condemnation action. The master rejected this argument, finding under the unique facts of this case, a party is entitled to attorneys' fees if the condemnor abandons the action after service of the Condemnation Notice. The master reasoned that [t]o hold otherwise would ... encourage a governmental entity to serve its Condemnation Notice, chill the value of the property, negotiate until it determines that the value sought by the landowner is still too high or that another parcel is more suitable, and then unilaterally withdraw its Notice with complete impunity since a condemnation lawsuit was never filed. All to the detriment of the landowner. This certainly cannot be the result intended by our Legislature. Under Rule 3 of the South Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure, a civil action is generally deemed commenced by filing and serving a summons and complaint. Rule 3(a), SCRCP. Under this rule, both filing and service are required to institute an action. See 24 S.C. Juris. Rules of Civil Procedure § 3.2 (1994) (Subpart 3(a) requires both the filing and service of a summons and complaint prior to the commencement of a civil action. The South Carolina courts have demanded literal compliance with Rule 3(a).). The provisions of the South Carolina Eminent Domain Procedure Act, however, constitute the exclusive procedure for condemnation in this state. S.C.Code Ann. § 28-2-210 (2007). Moreover, these provisions control over the South Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure. Id. § 28-2-120 (In the event of conflict between this act and the South Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure, this act shall prevail.). In this case, section 28-2-30(5) specifically states a `[c]ondemnation action' includes all acts incident to the process of condemning property after the service of a Condemnation Notice. Id. § 28-2-30(5) (emphasis added). The Act also makes reference to service in other provisions. For example, section 28-2-470 provides that a separate action to challenge the condemnor's right to condemn automatically stays a proceeding for condemnation, and the Act requires this separate action to be filed within thirty days after service of the Condemnation Notice. Id. § 28-2-470. In addition, the Act defines litigation expenses as those incurred from the time of service of the Condemnation Notice, again referencing service: (14) Litigation expenses means the reasonable fees, charges, disbursements, and expenses necessarily incurred from and after service of the Condemnation Notice, including, but not limited to, reasonable attorney's fees.... Id. § 28-2-30(14) (emphasis added). The provisions of the Act are unique and thus the commencement of the condemnation action cannot be measured in terms of regular civil proceedings: The Act does not require the issuance of a summons and complaint and the filing of responsive pleadings. Rather, the procedure begins with service of a condemnation notice. The condemnation notice may be served in any manner allowed for serving a summons and complaint in a civil action. 18 S.C. Juris. Eminent Domain § 38 (1993) (emphasis added) (footnotes omitted). Although there are references to filing in the Act, [5] we hold service marks the time for commencement of the action as defined in the Act. Thus, we find section 28-2-510(C) is applicable in this instance.