70-30-301. Hearing -- judge to preside -- determinations by condemnation commissioners. - Montana Statutes

     70-30-301. Hearing -- judge to preside -- determinations by condemnation commissioners. (1) The condemnation commissioners shall meet at the time and place stated in the order appointing them. The meeting time may not be more than 10 days after the order of appointment. The commissioners shall examine the lands sought to be taken. At a time appointed by the judge and within the 10-day period, the commissioners shall hear the allegations and evidence of all persons interested in each parcel of land.
     (2) The hearing must be attended by and presided over by the presiding judge, who shall make all necessary rulings upon procedure and the admissibility of evidence.
     (3) (a) At the conclusion of the hearing, the judge shall instruct the commissioners as to the law applicable to their deliberations and shall instruct them that their duty is to determine, based solely upon their examination of lands, the evidence produced at the hearing or hearings, and the instructions of the court, the appropriate findings provided for in subsections (3)(b) through (3)(d).
     (b) The commissioners shall determine the current fair market value of the real property sought to be taken and all improvements pertaining to the real property and of each separate estate and interest in the real property and improvements. If the real property consists of different parcels, the current fair market value of each parcel and each estate or interest in the real property must be separately assessed.
     (c) (i) If the property sought to be taken constitutes only a part of a larger parcel, the commissioners shall determine the depreciation in current fair market value that will accrue to the remaining parcel by reason of the condemnation and the construction of the improvements in the manner proposed by the condemnor.
     (ii) The commissioners shall also determine how much the remaining parcel and each estate or interest in the remaining parcel will be benefited, if at all, by the construction of the improvements proposed by the condemnor. If the benefit is equal to the amount assessed under subsection (3)(c)(i), the compensation to the condemnee is limited to the value of the portion taken. However, if the benefit is less than the amount assessed under subsection (3)(c)(i), the benefit to the condemnee must be deducted from the amount assessed under subsection (3)(c)(i) and the remainder is the only amount allowed in addition to the current fair market value.
     (d) If the property sought to be taken is for a railroad, the commissioners shall also determine the cost of good and sufficient fences along the line of the railroad and the cost of cattle guards where fences may cross the line of the railroad.
     (e) Through examination of the property, the commissioners shall determine the appropriate payment for damages to the property taken, as well as to any remaining parcel of property that may be adversely impacted by the project, to assist the court in making a final determination pursuant to 70-30-309.
     (4) When there are two or more estates or divided interests in property sought to be taken, the condemnor is entitled to have the amount of the award for the property first determined as between the condemnor and all condemnees claiming any interest in the property. In the same proceeding, the respective rights of each of the condemnees in and to the total award must be determined by the commissioners, under supervision and instruction of the court, and the award must be apportioned accordingly.

     History: En. Sec. 608, 1st Div. Comp. Stat. 1887; amd. Sec. 1, p. 269, L. 1891; amd. Sec. 2221, C. Civ. Proc. 1895; re-en. Sec. 7341, Rev. C. 1907; re-en. Sec. 9944, R.C.M. 1921; Cal. C. Civ. Proc. Sec. 1248; re-en. Sec. 9944, R.C.M. 1935; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 234, L. 1961; amd. Sec. 19, Ch. 423, L. 1971; R.C.M. 1947, 93-9912(part); amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 531, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 20, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 66, Ch. 125, L. 2001.