Opinion ID: 1930985
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: whether the trial court erred in awarding any damages to ssd.

Text: ¶ 25. Croke asserts the same arguments listed in Issue II above to support his claim that damages were incorrect in this case. Croke argues that the damages are wrong because this amounted to a de facto taking of his land and that he should be given compensation for such. Croke further contends that all damages that might have accrued are the fault of SSD, because they were caused by securing funds to develop the project with unclean hands. This argument is without merit. These contentions have been dealt with in the discussion above and case law further supports the principle that Croke is required to pay back payments for the use the sewer system regardless of whether he actually used the system. In Lepre, the defendant claimed no liability for the monthly minimum service charges made against him, which totaled $181.23 because he had not even connected to the water system. 376 So.2d at 191. This Court found that the defendant had benefitted by the installation of the water system, as did all the other residents of D'Iberville. As we stated then, It would now be a gross inequity to allow the District to face financial disaster, because of the failure of some of the people to abide by an ordinance that was intended to be and was passed for the benefit of all the residents of the District. The benefit was not limited to just those persons who connected onto the system, and the charge for paying for the system should not be so limited. Every owner of property in D'Iberville was interested in and affected by the establishment of a good water and sewer system for sanitary purposes throughout the community, and a distinct benefit accrued to every property owner. The service rendered to the Defendant in this case was the construction and availability of the water system. Such a service made the Defendant impliedly indebted, either through himself or his property. Id. at 194 (emphasis added). ¶ 26. Furthermore, whether directly or indirectly, Croke has received the health and safety benefits of this project. The damages awarded represent what Croke would have paid had he followed the ordinance in the first place. This Court affirms the trial court's award of damages to SSD. ¶ 27. SSD asserts the following single issue on cross-appeal: I. WHETHER THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN NOT ENFORCING THE JUDGMENT OF THE COURT ORDERING THE DEFENDANT TO COMPLY WITH THE LAW AND HOOK-UP TO THE SYSTEM AS A FINAL ORDER OF THE COURT FOR WHICH NO INTERLOCUTORY APPEAL HAS BEEN TAKEN. ¶ 28. SSD argues that Croke failed to correctly appeal the chancellor's judgment on November 2, 2000, and is now barred from raising the issue on appeal. As stated earlier in this opinion, that order for summary judgment was only a partial order for summary judgment. The final order in this case was not filed until January 2, 2002. This Court finds Croke's appeal was timely filed, and SSD's contention is without merit. The trial court did not err, and the judgment is affirmed.