Department of Conservation v. Strassheim

This is an appeal from the judgment of the circuit court of Lake County in a condemnation case, which awarded the defendants $37,500 for the land taken and $5,000 for damage to the remainder. Both sides appeal, the State contending the award is too high and the defendants contending it is too low. A brief statement as to the background of the case and the points developed at the trial will serve to delineate the issues raised on the appeal by both parties.

On August 24,1978, the Department of Conservation of the State of Illinois filed a petition to condemn the east 13.99 acres of the…