Court Opinion

ID: 9578901
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 21:49:32.825613+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:33:32.087508
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE COMPTON
dissenting, in part.
“When it plainly appears from the record and the evidence given at the trial that the parties have had a fair trial on the merits and substantial justice has been reached, no judgment shall be arrested or reversed.” Code § 8.01-678. In the context of the entire closing argument, I do not view School Board counsel’s isolated comments seized upon by the majority to be so egregious as to warrant a reversal and a new trial.
The Court has affirmed the trial court on all the significant appellate issues, rulings in which I join. Even if I agreed with the majority that the trial court abused its discretion in connection with the closing argument, I nevertheless would affirm the judgment below.
The landowners’ evidence on the issue of just compensation ranged from about $4.9 million to about $5.4 million. The condemnor’s evidence on that issue valued the property in the sum of approximately $1.6 million. The award of $2.7 million is well within the range of the conflicting evidence, lower than the landowner claimed and higher than the condemnor estimated.
Given the otherwise errorless conduct of the trial, I would not put these parties to the time and expense of another trial for two *77fairly innocuous comments during closing argument when, I submit, it appears the litigants have had a fair trial on the merits and substantial justice has been attained.