Sec. 11. (a) The appeal may be taken by filing an original complaint in the court against the municipality within the time required by section 10(d) of this chapter, setting forth the action of the works board with respect to the assessment and stating the facts relied upon as showing an error on the part of the board. The court shall rehear the matter of the assessment de novo and confirm, reduce, or increase the assessment. If the court reduces the amount of benefit assessed or increases the amount of damages awarded, the plaintiff may recover costs. If the court confirms the amount of the assessment, the plaintiff may not recover costs.

     (b) If upon appeal the benefits assessed or damages awarded by the works board are reduced or increased, the municipality may, upon the payment of costs, discontinue the proceedings. It may also, through the works board, make and adopt an additional assessment against all the property originally assessed in the proceeding, or that part that is benefitted, in the manner provided for the original assessment. However, such an assessment against any one (1) piece of property may not exceed ten percent (10%) of the original assessment against it.

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Terms Used In Indiana Code 32-24-2-11

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Judgment: means all final orders, decrees, and determinations in an action and all orders upon which executions may issue. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • municipality: means a city or town. See Indiana Code 32-24-2-2
  • Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
  • property: refers to real property or personal property. See Indiana Code 32-24-2-3
  • works board: means :

    Indiana Code 32-24-2-4

     (c) If the municipality decides to discontinue the proceedings upon payment of costs and if assessments for benefits have already been paid, the amounts paid shall be paid back to the person or persons paying them.

     (d) The parties may appeal a court’s judgment under this section in the manner that appeals are taken from final judgments in civil actions. All of the parties shall take notice of and be bound by the judgment of the appeal.

[Pre-2002 Recodification Citation: 32-11-1.5-8.]

As added by P.L.2-2002, SEC.9. Amended by P.L.80-2020, SEC.7.