Opinion ID: 1592917
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Publication of jurisdictional offer.

Text: December 2, 1969, one day after appellant received the jurisdictional offer, The Milwaukee Journal reported that the state had made a jurisdictional offer to the appellant in the amount of $135,000. The source of the information was Richard C. Kienitz, a reporter for the newspaper, who was then at a meeting of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission held in Michigan, which was attended by Voigt and Smith. Kienitz testified he overheard information about the jurisdictional offer in conversations. Apparently the only conversation he overheard from anyone associated with the matter was either Voigt or Smith, but he did not recall receiving information as to the amount of the award from them. The hearing before the Kenosha county condemnation commission was held March 23 through the 27th, 1970. Secs. 32.08 (6) (a) and 32.06 (10), Stats., prohibit disclosing the jurisdictional offer to the condemnation commission or to the jury. Sec. 32.06 (7), Stats., declares that the petition shall be a nullity if it discloses the amount of the jurisdictional offer. Appellant now asks the court to vitiate the entire proceeding due to the fact that the newspaper article of December 2, 1969, contained the amount of the jurisdictional offer. The issue is raised for the first time on appeal. The appellant has not shown, and we can find nothing in the record to suggest, that the Kenosha county condemnation commission had any knowledge of the amount of the jurisdictional offer or was in any way influenced by the newspaper article in its decision in making the award. We do not consider this alleged error grounds for reversal.