Missouri Laws 523.053 – Distribution of condemnation awards among defendants
1. Within thirty days after the commissioners’ award has been paid to the clerk of the court, where there is more than one defendant, those defendants claiming a determinable interest in the proceeds of said award may file with the court an agreement setting out the manner and the percentages in which said award is to be divided among them. If no such agreement is filed during said thirty-day period, any defendant claiming such an interest may by motion for distribution petition the court in which said cause is pending for a determination of the percentage of the commissioners’ award to which each of said parties is entitled; provided, that the plaintiff in said condemnation action may have the right to intervene as an interested party in said proceeding, whether it be by the filing of an agreement among the defendants or by the filing of a motion for distribution of the award, and shall be entitled to prior notice of the filing of said agreement or notice of the filing of the motion for said determination and distribution.
2. Within thirty days after the filing of such motion, the court having jurisdiction of said cause shall determine the percentage of the award to which each party having an interest therein is entitled. Any party aggrieved of the determination of interests made by the court shall have the right of appeal therefrom, and the same shall be considered as a final judgment for such purposes.
Terms Used In Missouri Laws 523.053
- 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.
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
- Property: includes real and personal property. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
3. The respective interests of all parties in the award made as a result of the condemnation action, whether determined by said agreement or by the court, shall be final and shall extend by percentage to any additional compensation awarded or any reduction of the award thereafter made, together with interest, on the trial of exceptions, and said interests established shall be binding on all parties, plaintiff and defendant; provided, that when the determinable interest of any defendant is not related to the difference in the value of the property before and after the taking by condemnation, such share set out in the agreement or the court’s finding thereof shall not be affected by any increase or reduction so long as the final award is not less than such interest.
4. Any evidence relating to the terms of said determination of interest shall not be admissible as evidence before the jury on the trial of said exceptions.