State ex rel. State Highway Commission v. Martinez

OPINION

SISK, Justice.

Defendant, Richard B. Martinez, appeals from a judgment entered in his favor against the State Highway Commission, based on a jury verdict of $13,500 in a condemnation action. Certain land and improvements, consisting of a commercial building, a residence, and an unattached garage, owned by him in Gallup, New Mexico, were completely taken for highway purposes.

In determining the market value of the property taken, the expert appraisers for both Martinez and the State placed the major emphasis on the “cost of reproduction less depreciation plus land value” approach. Counsel…