Download Zipped Enrolled WordPerfect SB0081.ZIP
[Introduced][Status][Bill Documents][Fiscal Note][Bills Directory]

S.B. 81 Enrolled

             1     

EMINENT DOMAIN AMENDMENTS

             2     
2010 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Lyle W. Hillyard

             5     
House Sponsor: Craig A. Frank

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill amends provisions relating to a settlement offer and litigation expenses in an
             10      eminent domain action.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    defines terms;
             14          .    creates a time line for a defendant or a plaintiff to file a settlement offer;
             15          .    sets requirements for a settlement offer;
             16          .    authorizes the court to, under certain circumstances, award litigation expenses; and
             17          .    makes technical corrections.
             18      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             19          None
             20      Other Special Clauses:
             21          None
             22      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             23      AMENDS:
             24          78B-6-509, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 3
             25     
             26      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             27          Section 1. Section 78B-6-509 is amended to read:
             28           78B-6-509. Powers of court or judge -- Settlement offer -- Litigation expenses.
             29          (1) As used in this section, "litigation expenses" means costs necessary to prepare for


             30      and conduct a trial, including:
             31          (a) court costs;
             32          (b) expert witness fees;
             33          (c) appraisal fees; and
             34          (d) reasonable attorney fees.
             35          (2) The court shall have the power to:
             36          [(1)] (a) hear and determine all adverse or conflicting claims to the property sought to
             37      be condemned, and the damages; and
             38          [(2)] (b) determine the respective rights of different parties seeking condemnation of
             39      the same property.
             40          (3) (a) A plaintiff described in Subsection 78B-6-507 (1)(a) may make a settlement
             41      offer for purposes of this Subsection (3) at any time:
             42          (i) following the close of discovery as ordered by the court, but no later than 60 days
             43      before the first day of trial; or
             44          (ii) if no order setting the close of discovery exists:
             45          (A) more than nine months from the day that the complaint is filed; and
             46          (B) no later than 60 days before the first day of trial.
             47          (b) Subject to Subsection (3)(c), an offer under Subsection (3)(a) shall:
             48          (i) be in writing;
             49          (ii) be served in accordance with Rule 5, Utah Rules of Civil Procedure, on each
             50      defendant to whom the offer is addressed;
             51          (iii) be an offer made:
             52          (A) to the defendant; or
             53          (B) if more than one defendant, jointly to all defendants who have appeared in the case
             54      and have not been dismissed;
             55          (iv) state that the offer is being made under Subsection (3)(a); and
             56          (v) specify the amount, less interest and litigation expenses, that the plaintiff is willing
             57      to agree is the total just compensation to which the defendant is or defendants jointly are


             58      entitled to receive for the property identified in the pending action.
             59          (c) An offer described in Subsection (3)(a) may not be filed with the court unless
             60      accepted or in connection with a motion for the award of litigation expenses following trial.
             61          (d) (i) Unless an offer provides a time for the offer to expire, an offer under Subsection
             62      (3)(a) shall expire and be deemed rejected 45 days after service.
             63          (ii) An offer that expires or is rejected under Subsection (3)(d)(i):
             64          (A) is not admissible in evidence; and
             65          (B) may not be referred to at trial.
             66          (4) (a) A defendant who receives an offer under Subsection (3)(a) may accept the offer
             67      by serving an acceptance of the offer, prior to its expiration, in accordance with Rule 5, Utah
             68      Rules of Civil Procedure.
             69          (b) If there is more than one defendant, defendants may accept the offer by serving a
             70      joint acceptance of the offer, prior to its expiration, in accordance with Rule 5, Utah Rules of
             71      Civil Procedure.
             72          (c) Any party may file with the court an offer made under Subsection (3)(a) together
             73      with its acceptance made under Subsection (4)(b).
             74          (d) A plaintiff is entitled to a final judgment of condemnation as prayed for in the
             75      complaint upon paying to the defendant or defendants, or depositing with the court clerk for the
             76      benefit of the defendants:
             77          (i) the amount of total just compensation agreed to in the offer accepted as described in
             78      Subsection (4)(a); and
             79          (ii) any interest due as provided by law.
             80          (e) If there are multiple defendants, the court shall, upon application filed by a
             81      defendant, determine each defendant's respective share of the settlement amount.
             82          (5) (a) A defendant described in Subsection 78B-6-507 (1)(b), or if there is more than
             83      one defendant that has appeared in the case and has not been dismissed, then all defendants
             84      jointly, may make an offer under this Subsection (5):
             85          (i) within 30 days after they receive an offer from the plaintiff under Subsection (3)(a);


             86      or
             87          (ii) if the plaintiff does not make an offer under Subsection (3)(a), any time following
             88      close of discovery as ordered by the court, but not later than 45 days before the first day of trial.
             89          (b) An offer described in Subsection (5)(a) shall:
             90          (i) be in writing;
             91          (ii) be served in accordance with Rule 5, Utah Rules of Civil Procedure;
             92          (iii) (A) be made on behalf of the defendant; or
             93          (B) if there are multiple defendants, the offer shall be made by and on behalf of all
             94      defendants jointly who have appeared in the action and have not been dismissed;
             95          (iv) state that the offer is being made under Subsection (5)(a); and
             96          (v) specify the amount, less interest and litigation expenses, that the defendant or
             97      defendants jointly are willing to agree is the total just compensation to which the defendant is
             98      or defendants jointly are entitled to receive for the property identified in the pending action.
             99          (c) An offer described in Subsection (5)(a) may not be filed with the court unless
             100      accepted or in connection with a motion for the award of litigation expenses following trial.
             101          (d) An offer of settlement made by less than all defendants that have appeared in the
             102      case and have not been dismissed:
             103          (i) is not an offer under Subsection (5)(a); and
             104          (ii) may not be a basis for awarding litigation expenses under Subsection (7).
             105          (e) (i) Unless an offer provides a time for the offer to expire, an offer under Subsection
             106      (5)(a) shall expire and be deemed rejected 21 days after service.
             107          (ii) An offer that expires or is rejected under Subsection (5)(e)(i) is not admissible in
             108      evidence and may not be referred to at trial.
             109          (6) (a) A plaintiff who receives an offer under Subsection (5)(a) may accept the offer
             110      by serving an acceptance of the offer, prior to its expiration, in accordance with Rule 5, Utah
             111      Rules of Civil Procedure.
             112          (b) Any party may file with the court an offer made under Subsection (5)(a) together
             113      with its acceptance made under Subsection (6)(a).


             114          (c) A plaintiff is entitled to a final judgment of condemnation as prayed for in the
             115      complaint upon paying to the defendant or defendants, or depositing with the court clerk for the
             116      benefit of the defendants:
             117          (i) the amount of total just compensation agreed to in the offer accepted as described in
             118      Subsection (6)(a); and
             119          (ii) any interest due as provided by law.
             120          (d) If there are multiple defendants, the court shall, upon application filed by a
             121      defendant, determine each defendant's respective share of the settlement amount.
             122          (7) (a) Subject to Subsection (7)(b), if the total just compensation awarded to a
             123      defendant or defendants, less interest and litigation expenses, is greater than the amount of total
             124      just compensation specified in the last settlement offer made by a defendant or defendants
             125      under Subsection (5)(a), the court shall award the defendant or defendants litigation expenses
             126      not to exceed 1/3 of the amount by which the award of just compensation exceeds the amount
             127      offered in the last settlement offer under Subsection (5)(a).
             128          (b) An award under Subsection (7)(a) may not exceed:
             129          (i) if there is one defendant in the case, $50,000; or
             130          (ii) if there are multiple defendants in the case, $100,000 total.
             131          (c) The court shall include any amounts awarded under Subsection (7)(a) in the
             132      judgment awarding compensation.
             133          (8) (a) Subject to Subsection (8)(b), if the total just compensation awarded to a
             134      defendant or defendants, less interest and litigation expenses, is less than the amount of total
             135      just compensation specified in the last settlement offer made by a plaintiff under Subsection
             136      (3)(a), the court shall award the plaintiff litigation expenses not to exceed 1/3 of the amount by
             137      which the last offer of settlement made under Subsection (3)(a) exceeds the total just
             138      compensation awarded.
             139          (b) An award under Subsection (8)(a) may not exceed $50,000.
             140          (c) The court shall reduce the judgment awarding just compensation by the amount of
             141      litigation expenses awarded to the plaintiff under Subsection (8)(a).


             142          (9) If the total just compensation awarded to a defendant, less interest or litigation
             143      expenses, is between an offer made by a plaintiff under Subsection (3)(a) and an offer made by
             144      the defendant under Subsection (5)(a), the court may not award litigation expenses to either
             145      plaintiff or a defendant.
             146          (10) (a) If a plaintiff does not make an offer under Subsection (3)(a), the court may not
             147      award:
             148          (i) the plaintiff litigation expenses; or
             149          (ii) the defendant litigation expenses more than the defendant's last offer under
             150      Subsection (5)(a), if the defendant made an offer under Subsection (5)(a).
             151          (b) If a defendant does not make an offer under Subsection (5)(a), the court may not
             152      award:
             153          (i) the defendant litigation expenses; or
             154          (ii) the plaintiff litigation expenses more than the plaintiff's last offer under Subsection
             155      (3)(a), if the plaintiff made an offer under Subsection (3)(a).
             156          (11) A claim for attorney fees under this section must be supported by an hourly billing
             157      statement.
             158          (12) Subsections (3) through (10) do not apply to an action filed before July 1, 2010.


[Bill Documents][Bills Directory]