Section 228.180

Title XIV ROADS AND WATERWAYS

Chapter 228

Effective - 28 Aug 1990   

  228.180.  Condemnation of private property for public road — survey — claims for damages — hearings — jury trial, when. — 1.  The right of eminent domain is vested in the several counties of the state to condemn private property for public road purpose, including any land, earth, stone, timber, rock quarries or gravel pits necessary in establishing, building, grading, repairing or draining such roads, or in building any bridges, abutments or fills thereon.

  2.  If the county commission be of the opinion that a public necessity exists for the establishment of a public road, or for the taking of any land or property for such purposes, it shall by an order of record so declare, and shall direct the county highway engineer within fifteen days thereafter to survey, mark out and describe said road, or the land or material to be taken, or both, and to prepare a map thereof, showing the location, courses and distances, and the lands across or upon which the proposed public road will run, or the area, dimensions, description and location of any other property to be taken for such purposes, or both, and the county highway engineer shall file the map and a report of his proceedings in the premises in the office of the county clerk.  Thereupon the county commission shall cause to be published in some newspaper of general circulation in the county, once each week for three consecutive weeks, a notice giving the width, beginning, termination, courses and distances and sections and subdivisions of the land over which the proposed road is to be established, or the location, area, dimensions and descriptions of any other land or property to be taken, or both, and that such land or property is sought to be taken for public use for road or bridge purposes.

  3.  Claims for damages for the taking of any of such land or property may be filed in the county clerk's office by the owner of the property or by the conservators of disabled persons or minors owning the property, within twenty days after the last day of publication.  If any claim for damages be filed, the same shall be heard on the first day of any regular or adjourned term of the county commission after the expiration of such twenty days.

  4.  If the county commission and the land or property owner be unable to agree on the amount of the damages, or if persons owning land or property sought to be taken or the conservator of any disabled person or minor owning such property shall fail to file a claim for damages, the county commission shall make an order reciting such fact, or facts, as the case may be, and cause a copy of same to be delivered to the judge of the circuit court of that county, and a transcript of the record and the original files in such cause shall be transmitted by the county clerk to the circuit clerk of the county.  Upon receipt of the copy of the order of the county commission by the circuit judge, the circuit court, or the judge thereof in vacation, shall make an order setting the cause for hearing within thirty days, and if the order fixing the date of the hearing be made by the judge in vacation, it shall be filed in the office of the circuit clerk and the clerk shall cause copies of the orders to be served on owners of the property or material to be taken, and also the conservators of disabled persons or minors having any interest in such property or material, not less than ten days before the date of the hearing.

  5.  The court, or judge in vacation, shall cause to be impaneled a jury of six residents of the county not interested in the matter or of kin to any member of the county commission, or to any landowner in interest.  The jury shall view the land, or other property, proposed to be taken, and shall hear the evidence and determine the question of damages under the direction of the court or judge.  Five of the jury concurring may return a verdict, and in case of a disagreement another jury may be impaneled.

  6.  The public necessity for taking the property shall in no wise be inquired into by the circuit court, and the judgment of the circuit court, or judge thereof in vacation, in the cause shall not be reviewed on appeal or by writ of error.

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(RSMo 1939 § 8486, A.L. 1983 S.B. 44 & 45, A.L. 1990 H.B. 1070)

Prior revisions: 1929 § 7840; 1919 § 10636

(1955) County court has power to acquire and control rock quarries and also the implied power to operate same to produce stone for surfacing roads in the county, but such stone may not be sold to private individuals.  Everett v. County of Clinton (Mo.), 282 S.W.2d 30.

(1965) Sections 49.300 and 228.100 in combination indicate a legislative intent to cover the entire subject of the judicial phases of condemnation proceedings by county courts and, therefore, they supersede and by implication repeal contrary provisions in this section.  County of Greene v. Hammons (Mo.), 389 S.W.2d 843.