State v. Hastie

This is an appeal by the State from a judgment granting appellee's motion for a new trial. The case arose as follows:

The State filed its petition for condemnation of certain lands owned by the appellees in the Probate Court of Baldwin County. The probate court granted the petition and appointed commissioners to appraise the condemned property. The commissioners filed their report and the probate court awarded damages in the amount of $27,953.00.

Upon appeal to the circuit court, the only issue presented to the jury was the amount of compensation and damages due appellees. The jury returned a…