Court Opinion

ID: 9704105
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 00:22:17.037708+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:21:56.740418
License: Public Domain

Targonski, J.
(dissenting). For purposes of this dissent we adopt the opening paragraph of the majority opinion as a proper statement of the factual background controlling in this case. We do not go into any discussion of the legal principles enunciated in the majority opinion because we feel *491this proposition turns on a factual determination regardless of the merits of the principles of law set forth by the majority.
A careful reading of the transcript indicates that starting with the petitioner’s opening statement the entire matter was submitted to the jury on the issue of "proper amount of money to be paid * * * for 50-foot strip”. The petitioner’s appraiser offered testimony as to the taking of "50-foot wide easement across this property * * * three acres”, and his testimony as to the value was predicated on a 50-foot easement for an approximate three-acre taking. The defendants, on the other hand, presented testimony by one witness that, as the matter was set forth in the petition for the taking of a 50-foot easement plus necessary land for construction would entail the loss of eight acres plus the demolition of trees. However, no testimony was given as to the value of the eight acres nor the value of the trees which would be taken, nor even any testimony as to the number and the type of trees that were to be taken. The record is silent on what constitutes the plus "whatever land might be needed for construction”. In view of the petitioner’s opening statement, the defendants properly limited their offer of values to the 50-foot strip for easement. The judge, according to the record, originally in chambers in discussion of proposed instructions in preparation of verdict, stated that based on the opening statement, proofs were limited to the 50-foot easement only. However, he changed his mind and permitted the verdict to be prepared to show a taking "as described in petition” and in his charge spoke about "along the proposed route”.
"The proposed route” and "as described in petition” encompass additional land needed for construction in addition to the 50-foot easement. How*492ever, to require the jury to make a decision on that basis on the state of the record in this case required the jury to speculate since the record is silent on the value or the extent or determination of location and amount of land needed for construction, the value of such use for construction and the damage to the defendants by way of tree removal from the portions used for construction. In a condemnation proceeding, a verdict will be reversed on appeal only when the award is not within the range of the testimony. State Highway Commissioner v McCarthy, 26 Mich App 500 (1970). The jury is limited to a consideration of the high and low figures as to value but when no figure is presented then value rests on conjecture and speculation and is improper. In re Dillman, 255 Mich 152 (1931).
Based on this one factor, the matter should be reversed and remanded for trial. Consequently, we do not enter into any discussion of any of the other valid objections raised by the defendants.