Caffe Ribs, Inc. v. State

OPINION

WILLIAM J. BOYCE, Justice.

Caffe Ribs appeals from a judgment on a jury verdict awarding $4.5 million in this eminent domain proceeding for the State’s whole taking of a 7.5214 acre parcel of land and improvements. In multiple issues, Caffe Ribs challenges the trial court’s evi-dentiary rulings. We reverse and remand for a new trial because (1) evidence relating to an agreement to pay for costs associated with environmental contamination of the property erroneously was excluded at trial, and (2) exclusion of this evidence was harmful.

Background

The State of Texas acquired the subject…