Opinion ID: 895007
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Damages Under Section 21.044

Text: The trial court separately awarded damages of $323,026 under section 21.044 for the University's temporary possession of FKM's land. The court of appeals agreed that such fees and expenses were recoverable, and instructed the trial court to determine those damages on remand. 178 S.W.3d at 7. Section 21.044(a) states: If a court finally determines that a condemnor who has taken possession of property pending litigation did not have the right to condemn the property, the court may award to the property owner the damages that resulted from the temporary possession. The statute plainly allows damages only if the condemnor took possession of property it did not have the right to condemn. FKM did not establish that, as a matter of law, the University did not have the right to condemn either the larger tract it originally sought or the smaller tract it later sought. There was evidence before the trial court that the University had the right to condemn both the larger and the smaller tracts. Amending its petition to change the amount of property sought was not proof that the University did not have the right to condemn either tract. Accordingly, FKM was not entitled to judgment for damages under section 21.044. The courts below erred in holding otherwise.