St. Louis County v. River Bend Estates Homeowners' Ass'n
408 S.W.3d 116
Mo.2013Background
- St. Louis County condemned 15 acres at 1653 Creve Coeur Mill Rd in Chesterfield for the Page/Olive connector of Highway 141.
- The Novels (descendants of Arthur and Stella Novel) have owned the land since 1904, over 50 years.
- Commissioners awarded $320,000 and heritage value of $160,000, total $480,000.
- Novels sought jury trial; jury awarded $1.3 million plus heritage value of $650,000; total judgment increased.
- County appeals on transcript adequacy, evidentiary rulings, the excessiveness of the verdict, and the constitutionality of heritage value statutes; exclusive jurisdiction for constitutional challenges.
- Court affirms trial court: no reversible evidentiary errors, verdict not excessive, and heritage value statutes constitutional; judgment affirmed.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transcript completeness impact | County claims inaudible/undocumented bench conferences prejudice appeal | Record incomplete; jeopardizes review | Incomplete transcript not prejudicial; no new trial required |
| Admission of sentimental attachment evidence | Evidence of attachment/unwillingness to sell inflames jury; irrelevant to fair market value | Prejudice insufficient; not preserved; county elicited some testimony | No reversible error; issues not preserved for review |
| Terra Vista/project influence testimony | Non-retained experts should rebut Terra Vista development influence on value | Discovery rules barred such testimony; exclusion appropriate | Trial court did not abuse discretion; testimony properly limited |
| Jury verdict and weight of the evidence | $1.3M verdict supported by expert testimony and closing argument | Verdict excessive by small margin; passion/prejudice | Verdict not grossly excessive; substantial evidence supports it |
| Heritage value statutes constitutionality | Statutes extend constitutional compensation; not prohibited | Statutes alter definition of just compensation; private benefit issue | Statutes constitutional; do not violate Missouri Constitution; judgment affirmed |
Key Cases Cited
- Dale v. Dir., Mo. Dep’t of Soc. Servs., Family Support & Children’s Div., 285 S.W.3d 770 (Mo.App.2009) (incomplete transcript can still allow review if no prejudice shown)
- Skillicorn v. State, 22 S.W.3d 678 (Mo.banc 2000) (due diligence; prejudice required for reversal)
- State v. Borden, 605 S.W.2d 88 (Mo.banc 1980) (preservation of error in trial record)
- Union Elec. Co. v. Metro. St. Louis Sewer Dist., 258 S.W.3d 48 (Mo.banc 2008) (preservation and admissibility of evidence standards)
- City of Arnold v. Tourkakis, 249 S.W.3d 202 (Mo.banc 2008) (constitutional standards for statute interpretation)