Court Opinion

ID: 9584313
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:46:48.840399+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:07:31.759607
License: Public Domain

Head, Presiding Justice,
concurring specially. The sole question in the present case (a condemnation proceeding under Chapter 36-11 of the Code) is whether tender of the award of the assessors to the nominal or apparent owner must be made before or at the time the appeal is filed, or whether payment of the amount of the award into the registry of the court meets the requirements of the law. The sole provisions pertaining to payment are found in § 36-1111, as follows, “it shall be within the power of the court, upon payment of the award or verdict into the registry of the court, to adjudge a condemnation of the title in fee simple, . . .”; and in § 36-1113, as follows: “After condemnation is had and the fund paid into the registry of the court, the petitioner shall not be concerned with or affected by any subsequent proceedings unless upon appeal from the verdict or award as hereinbefore allowed.” Under these provisions of *827Chapter 36-11, authorizing condemnation in ram and acquisition of the fee-simple title, tender to the nominal or apparent owner is not only not required, but is actually precluded by the quoted language in the above sections of the law. It is clear (from the provisions of Chapter 36-11) that payment into the registry of the court is in order that the court may direct disbursement of the award in accordance with the legal rights of claimants thereto, since the proceeding is in rem and for condemnation of the fee-simple title.
The decision in State Highway Department v. Wilson, 98 Ga. App. 619 (106 S. E. 2d 644), does not support the ruling made by the Court of Appeals in the present case. In the Wilson case the award was filed on February 6. On February 14, the State Highway Department filed an appeal, and on February 26, the State Highway Department tendered into court the amount of the award. The appeal was not, therefore, completed and filed within the ten days provided by law, but in 20’ days. It was therefore properly dismissed.
In Woodside v. City of Atlanta, 214 Ga. 75 (103 S. E. 2d 108), the statement of facts shows that the motion to dismiss was on the ground that the award had not been tendered to the owners or paid into the registry of the court. While there is language in the opinion in the Woodside case supporting the theory that tender should be to the owner or owners where known, the statement in division 3, to the effect that “The condemnor declined to tender the amount of the award to the owners or to pay it into the registry of the court for their benefit, but filed an appeal to a jury in the Superior Court of Fulton County,” further demonstrates that the Woodside case involved the contention that payment had not been made into the registry of the court.
I therefore concur in the judgment of reversal. I am authorized to say that Mr. Chief Justice Duckworth joins me in this special concurrence.