(a) It shall be the duty of the circuit court to impanel a jury of twelve (12) persons, as in other civil cases, to ascertain the amount of compensation the Arkansas Department of Transportation shall pay.
(b) The matter shall proceed and be determined as in other civil cases.
(c) In all cases of infants or persons of unsound mind, when no legal representative or guardian appears in their behalf at the hearing, it shall be the duty of the court to appoint a guardian ad litem, who shall represent their interest for all purposes.
(d) Compensation shall be ascertained and awarded in the proceeding and established by judgment therein.
(e)
(1) Judgment shall include, as a part of the just compensation awarded, interest at the rate of six percent (6%) per annum on the amount finally awarded as the value of the property, from the date of the surrender of possession to the date of payment, but interest shall not be allowed on so much thereof as may have been paid into court.
(2) No sum so paid into court shall be charged with commission or poundage.
(f) All courts and juries in cases of condemnation of lands for rights-of-way for state highways shall take into consideration the fact that lands are required to be assessed at fifty percent (50%) of their true value and shall also take into consideration the fact that owners of automobiles and trucks living miles off a state highway pay the same gasoline and auto license tax as those being fortunate enough to own land adjoining a state highway. Any court or jury considering claims for right-of-way damages shall deduct from the value of any land taken for a right-of-way the benefits of the state highway to the remaining lands of the owner.
(g) All suits involving the validity of subsection (f) of this section, or any portion thereof, shall be deemed matters of public interest and shall be advanced and disposed of at the earliest possible moment, and appeals in such suits must be taken and perfected within thirty (30) days from the date of the judgment or decree.
Structure Arkansas Code
Subtitle 5 - Highways, Roads, And Streets
Chapter 67 - State Highway System
Subchapter 3 - Acquisition, Condemnation, and Disposition of Property
§ 27-67-301. Authority to acquire property
§ 27-67-302. State highway purposes
§ 27-67-303. Entry for suitability studies
§ 27-67-304. Use of right-of-way
§ 27-67-305. Commission discretion as to quantity of property acquired
§ 27-67-307. Temporary easements
§ 27-67-308. Authority to compensate — Source of revenue
§ 27-67-309. Venue for condemnation actions
§ 27-67-310. Precedence of condemnation proceedings
§ 27-67-311. Condemnation petition — Notice
§ 27-67-312. Declaration of taking
§ 27-67-313. Motion to strike declaration of taking
§ 27-67-315. Title vests upon deposit
§ 27-67-316. Condemnation proceedings and judgment
§ 27-67-318. Hearing on amount of deposit
§ 27-67-319. Appeal not to delay vesting of title
§ 27-67-320. Acquisition when county court fails to grant petition
§ 27-67-321. Sale of surplus highway property
§ 27-67-322. Reacquisition of surplus property by former owner — Definition