State ex rel. Department of Highways v. Babin

I respectfully dissent.

The land in question before the taking for highway construction consisted of 37.82 acres of unimproved rural property. It was acquired by the present owner, Earless A. Babin by purchase evidenced by two deeds being the front and rear halves respectively, on January 23 and 26, 1960. The two deeds were filed for record at the same time. The purchase price as shown by the deeds was $492 per acre for the front half and $350 per acre for the rear half. The combined acreage was 36.6 acres according to the deeds and 37.828 acres according to the Highway Department survey. The…