29-17-912 - Costs of trial. - Tennessee Statutes

29-17-912. Costs of trial.

(a)  (1)  If the amount of compensation awarded at the trial shall exceed the amount assessed by the condemner and deposited with the clerk, then the bill of costs prepared by the clerk shall be taxed against the condemner. If the amount of compensation awarded at the trial is not in excess of the amount assessed by the condemner and deposited with the clerk, then the bill of costs prepared by the clerk may be taxed against the defendants.

     (2)  Rule 54.04, the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure, shall govern the taxing of any additional costs.

(b)  Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), the state court having jurisdiction of a proceeding initiated by any person, agency or other entity to acquire real property by condemnation shall tax the bill of costs prepared by the clerk against the condemner and shall award the owner of any right, or title to, or interest in, such real property such sum as will in the opinion of the court reimburse such owner for the owner's reasonable disbursements and expenses, including reasonable attorney, appraisal and engineering fees, actually incurred because of condemnation proceedings, only if:

     (1)  The final judgment is that the acquiring party cannot acquire the real property by condemnation; or

     (2)  The proceeding is abandoned by the acquiring party.

[Acts 1959, ch. 216, § 12; 1972, ch. 463, § 2; 1973, ch. 140, § 1; T.C.A., § 23-1539; Acts 1994, ch. 931, § 1; T.C.A. § 29-17-812; Acts 2006, ch. 863, § 1.]