Opinion ID: 1885466
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Whether the trial court erred in allowing portions of Walker's testimony.

Text: ¶ 19. MTC contends that it was error for the trial court to allow Walker and Burckart to attribute damages to the announcement of the proposed plans claiming that it violated the before and after rule. The trial court denied MTC's motion in limine and objections at trial to the allowance of their testimony in this regard. ¶ 20. In Pearl River Valley Water Supply Dist. v. Wood, 252 Miss. 580, 172 So.2d 196 (1965), this Court held that the date of the taking is the date the condemnation proceedings are initiated. This is the date from which the before and after values should be determined, not the date of publication or announcement of plans. In Wood, lot prices increased immensely after condemnation plans were announced. Nevertheless, the date the proceedings were commenced, three years later, was the date from which valuations should have been based. Id. ¶ 21. Just as a developer's decision to stop development in a subdivision upon learning of a potential condemnation proceeding cannot be used in the valuation process, the effects on property values after an announcement is made but before proceedings are initiated cannot be attributed to damages. See Jackson County Dev., Inc. v. Miss. State Highway Comm'n, 262 So.2d 416 (Miss.1972). This Court has clearly rejected evidence of enhancement or diminution in value due to publication of plans in arriving at the before value. See Wood, 252 Miss. 580, 172 So.2d 196. ¶ 22. Burckart testified that the 1997 announcement of the proposed highway plans may have been one of the reasons for the decline in sales especially since once he learned of the plans, he told prospective buyers of them. Burckart also testified that there were other possible causes and did not merely limit his reasoning for the decline in sales to the announcement of the project. His testimony as to the valuation and damage to his land is allowed as long as he does not hold himself out as an expert. See Potters II v. State Highway Comm'n, 608 So.2d 1227, 1235 (Miss.1992). There is no indication that Burckart's testimony was in violation of this principle. ¶ 23. Walker testified that the value of the lots in 1997 was $17,500 and that he increased the value per lot to $32,000 per lot because of the stagnation in lot sales, and the fact that the subdivision was not successful in selling lots past that point, and because it was typical or common for other subdivision lots in the county for the value or prices to increase along with the value of the raw land. He claimed that the highway plans were not part of his analysis of the property value. Walker was questioned and cross-examined at length about this and other statements. The issue then became one of credibility, not admissibility, and Walker's credibility was certainly attacked at every corner. MTC was denied no opportunity to discredit his testimony. ¶ 24. Loflin, too, was questioned at length about his appraisal. [2] The record is riddled with testimony that indicates that it is not unreasonable for the jury to have discounted Loflin's opinions and given more weight to Walker's. It is the function of the jury as the traditional finder of the facts, and not the Court, to weigh conflicting evidence and inferences, and determine the credibility of witnesses. Clark v. Ill. Cent. R.R., 794 So.2d 191, 198 (Miss.2001). Therefore, the trial court did not err in admitting Walker's testimony. See Franklin County Timber Co., 488 So.2d at 787.