Williams v. Merced Irrigation District

The question presented by this appeal may be stated as presented by the respondent: “Where a public agency has taken possession of real property, and devoted it to a public use, is an action by the landowner for compensation for the land so taken one based on contract and transitory, or one for injuries to real property and therefore local?” The trial court held the action to be transitory, and granted the motion of defendant for a change of place of trial from Mariposa County, wherein the land of plaintiffs is situated, to Merced County, the place of residence of the defendant irrigation…