Opinion ID: 1700785
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: We first address the landowners' contention that this Court does not have jurisdiction to decide this appeal. In the statement of jurisdiction in their brief to this Court, without any further discussion or citation to any authority, the landowners state: This Court does not have subject-matter jurisdiction because the amount involved, exclusive of interest and costs, does not exceed $10,000. Ala.Code, § 18-1A-288. Section 18-1A-288, entitled Appeal from final judgment of circuit court, provides: After entry of final judgment in the circuit court, any party may, within 42 days thereafter, upon giving bond or security for costs as in other cases, file a notice of appeal to the court of civil appeals where the amount involved, exclusive of interest and costs, does not exceed $10,000.00. Where the amount involved, exclusive of interest and costs, exceeds $10,000.00, such appeal shall be to the supreme court. (Emphasis added.) In its response to the landowners' contention that this Court lacks jurisdiction over this appeal because the amount in controversy does not exceed $10,000, ALDOT argues only that the statutory language requires that appellate jurisdiction in eminent domain cases be determined by the amount of compensation awarded for the taking. Because the taking here resulted in an award of $483,000 before interest is added, a sum well in excess of $10,000, ALDOT contends that this Court, and not the Court of Civil Appeals, has appellate jurisdiction over this case. We need not decide whether appellate jurisdiction over this case must be determined by the amount of interest in controversy or by the amount of the compensation awarded the landowners in the original judgment. Upon reviewing the parties' contentions, it becomes readily apparent that this Court has jurisdiction over this appeal. The landowners contend that the postjudgment-interest award should be $47,313.92. ALDOT contends that the postjudgment-interest award should be $2,239.87. Because the total postjudgment-interest calculation from the landowners' perspective exceeds $10,000, this case is properly within the jurisdiction of this Court. That our rejection of the landowners' contention would result in an award of less than $10,000 does not oust this Court of jurisdiction to decide the merits of the issue before us. See Harper v. Regency Dev. Co., 399 So.2d 248, 260-61 (Ala.1981). Thus, whether appellate jurisdiction is determined by the amount of interest in controversy or by the original judgment that determined the amount of compensation to be awarded to the landowners, this Court has appellate jurisdiction of this case.