85 Miss. 649 | Miss. | 1904
delivered the opinion of the court.
We do not think that a justice of the peace, in eminent domain proceeding, has any judicial function to perform. He acts ministerially only., Every step which he is to take is precisely marked out by the statute. The objection that he ought to be permitted to decide whether he has jurisdiction, or judicially to pass upon any other question, is more plausible than sound. It results from the very nature of the case that the procedure is summary — as, for example, no appeal is allowed except from the findings of the jury' — and it is perfectly obvious
Reversed and remanded, with instructions to modify the order as indicated.