State ex rel. Department of Highways v. Jacobsen

LEMMON, Judge.

This expropriation suit involves the taking by the State of Louisiana, Department of Highways, of a strip of highway frontage from Mr. and Mrs. John S. Jacobsen’s corner property for the purpose of widening State Route La. 23 in Jefferson Parish from two to four lanes. After a trial on the merits, the district court rendered judgment fixing just compensation for the property taken and for severance damages to the remaining property.

The Department appealed, principally questioning the correctness of the trial judge’s method of determining severance damages. By answer to the…