Court Opinion

ID: 9671487
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 03:37:29.039746+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:16:10.230746
License: Public Domain

BUCKINGHAM, Judge,
concurring in part and dissenting in part.
I believe that this appeal should be dismissed pursuant to CR 54.02(1) as an appeal from a nonfinal judgment. An appeal ordinarily may not be taken from an interlocutory order or judgment. Stice v. Leonard, Ky., 420 S.W.2d 672, 674 (1967). However, pursuant to Ratliff v. Fiscal Court of Caldwell County, Ky., 617 S.W.2d 36 (1981), a condemnee may appeal from the entry of an interlocutory judgment giving the condemnor the right to condemn since the judgment divests the condemnee of his right to possess his property in such manner as to put it out of the power of the court to replace the parties to their original condition. Id. at 39. The Ratliff case provides an exception to the general rule that no appeal may be taken from an interlocutory judgment, and there is no similar compelling reason to create another exception and allow the condemnor in this ease to appeal from the entry of such a *124judgment. In my opinion, the Ratliff ease is limited to its specific facts.
Nevertheless, I agree with the majority that the issue of good faith negotiations by the Transportation Cabinet must first be determined before a judgment may be entered concerning its right to condemn. The right to condemn is a statutory right conferred by KRS 416.550, which provides in relevant part that “[wjhenever any condemnor cannot, by agreement with the owner thereof, acquire the property right, ... the condemnor may condemn such property_” The condem-nor must exercise good faith in using its power to condemn, even though the statute does not explicitly so provide. City of Bowling Green v. Cooksey, Ky.App., 858 S.W.2d 190, 192 (1992). This good faith requirement includes negotiating in good faith prior to initiating condemnation proceedings in the circuit court. See 21 A.L.R.4th 765 (1988), for a discussion of this issue.
I also agree with the majority that there is no separate cause of action against the Transportation Cabinet for damages for bad faith in negotiating an agreement with the property owner, other than the recovery of attorney’s fees if bad faith is shown. Commonwealth, Dept. of Transp. v. Knieriem, Ky., 707 S.W.2d 340, 341 (1986).