§442. Contents of petition for expropriation; place of filing

The rights of expropriation granted by this Part shall be exercised in the following manner:

(1) A petition shall be filed by the plaintiff in the district court of the parish in which the property to be expropriated is situated. However, where the property to be expropriated extends into two or more parishes and the owner of the property resides in one of them, the petition shall be filed in the district court of the parish where the owner resides, but if the owner does not reside in any one of the parishes into which the property extends, the petition may be filed in any one of the parishes. In all such cases, the court wherein the petition is filed shall have jurisdiction to adjudicate as to all the property involved.

(2) The petition shall contain a statement of the purpose for which the property is to be expropriated, describing the property necessary therefor with a plan of the same, a description of the improvement thereon, if any, and the name of the owner or owners as shown in the public records.

(3) The petition shall have annexed thereto the following:

(a) A certified copy of a certificate of authorization to expropriate executed by the secretary of the department, declaring that the taking is necessary or useful for the purposes of this Part.

(b) A certificate signed by the chief engineer or, in his absence, his principal assistant, declaring that he has fixed the right-of-way in a manner sufficient in his judgment to provide presently and in the future for the public interest, safety, and convenience.

(c) A certificate signed by the chief engineer, by the road design engineer, and, if appropriate, by the bridge design engineer, declaring that the location and design of the proposed improvements are in accordance with the best modern practices adopted in the interest of the safety and convenience of the traveling public. In the absence of any of them, his chief assistant may sign for him.

(d) An itemized statement of the amount of money estimated to be the full extent of the owner's loss for the taking or the damage, or both, as the case may be, the methodology used in the estimate, and all of the information required by R.S. 48:443 relative to estimators. It shall be signed by those who made the estimate, showing the capacity in which they acted, and the date on which it was made. The real estate administrator or his designated representative shall signify his approval on the face thereof. It shall not be grounds to dismiss the taking if it is shown that the estimate is or may be less than the full extent of the owner's loss.

(e) Repealed by Acts 2003, No. 1065, §2, eff. July 1, 2003.

Added by Acts 1954, No. 107, §1, eff. June 24, 1954; Amended by Acts 1974, Ex.Sess., No. 30, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1975; Acts 1977, No. 291, §1; Acts 1979, No. 413, §9, eff. July 11, 1979; Acts 1984, No. 304, §1; Acts 1988, No. 882, §1; Acts 1989, No. 124, §1, eff. June 22, 1989; Acts 2001, No. 473, §1, eff. June 21, 2001; Acts 2003, No. 1065, §§1, 2, eff. July 1, 2003.