Pacific Gas & Electric Co. v. Taylor

The action was in condemnation, and judgment was in favor of plaintiff, condemning the property and awarding defendants the total sum of $51.50 for the various items of damage. It may be stated that in their answer the defendants claimed that the proposed improvement would result in their damage to the extent of $63,000. Notwithstanding this great disparity between what was awarded and what was claimed there is abundant evidence to support the finding of the jury. However, the defendants were not present at the trial and no showing was made on their behalf, and this suggests the only serious…