Arkansas State Highway Commission v. Hawkins

The jury’s verdict in this case awarded the landowners $55,000 for 11.01 acres of land, or about $5,000 an acre. If we leave the realm of opinion and look only to actual facts established by uncontradicted evidence in the record, it is an inescapable conclusion that the highway department is beina compelled to pay an unconscionable price for the land. Hawkins "bought 117 acres in 1960 for $13,-000, thereby paying $111.11 an acre for property that is now valued at $5,000 an acre. At the time of the trial the 211 lots were assessed, on the tax books at a total of $5,275, or exactly $25 a lot.…