Commonwealth, Department of Highways v. Hopson

CULLEN, Commissioner.

The Commonwealth of Kentucky, Department of Highways, condemned a strip of land across the farm of Winthrop Hopson and wife, between the dwelling and the barn, for an ««limited access highway. The result of the condemnation proceedings was a circuit court judgment awarding damages of $14,000, from which judgment the Commonwealth has appealed.

Over repeated objections the trial court permitted each of the witnesses for the landowners, on direct examination, after stating his estimates of “before” and “after” values, to itemize in detail the “damages” to the farm, putting a…