Printable Format26-509. Same; assignment for trial on appeal; attorney fees, when. In an action on appeal the court shall assign the case for trial to a jury, or to a master in accordance with K.S.A. 60-253, or acts amendatory thereof or supplemental thereto. Whenever the plaintiff condemner shall appeal the award of court appointed appraisers, and the jury renders a verdict for the landowners in an amount greater than said appraisers' award, the court may allow as court costs an amount to be paid to the landowner's attorney as attorney fees.
History: L. 1963, ch. 234, § 9; L. 1969, ch. 196, § 1; L. 1972, ch. 148, § 1; July 1.
Law Review and Bar Journal References:
"Recovery of Attorney Fees in Kansas," Mark A. Furney, 18 W.L.J. 535, 549, 558 (1979).
CASE ANNOTATIONS
1. Right to court costs did not accrue until jury rendered verdict; provisions remedial; factors considered. City of Wichita v. Chapman, 214 Kan. 575, 576, 579, 583, 585, 587, 588, 521 P.2d 589.
2. Provisions of section providing for attorney fees remedial; application to actions pending when section became effective. Fellers v. State Highway Commission, 214 Kan. 630, 631, 632, 522 P.2d 341.
3. Mentioned; trial court erred in awarding attorney fees to landowners who were appealing parties. In re Central Kansas Electric Coop., Inc., 224 Kan. 308, 319, 582 P.2d 228.
4. Statute applicable only to condemnation appeals from appraisers' awards under K.S.A. 26-501 et seq.; legislature has not provided for attorney fees in inverse condemnation cases. Herman v. City of Wichita, 228 Kan. 63, 71, 72, 612 P.2d 588.
5. Cited in considering allowance of attorney fees under K.S.A. 59-1504. In re Estate of Robinson, 236 Kan. 431, 438, 439, 690 P.2d 383 (1984).
6. Award of attorney fees in land condemnation action discretionary and limited. U.S. v. 1,197.29 Acres of Land, 759 F. Supp. 728, 734 (1991).
7. Attorney fees may be awarded in a jury trial or bench trial. Board of Sedgwick County Comm'rs v. Kiser Living Trust, 250 Kan. 84, 86, 88, 91, 105, 107, 108, 825 P.2d 130 (1992).
8. Cited in dissent's discussion of whether premises liability classification issue was properly preserved for appeal. Jones v. Hansen, 254 Kan. 499, 526, 867 P.2d 303 (1994).