Trial, how conducted.
A judge of the superior court shall preside at the trial which shall be held at such time as the court or the judge thereof may direct, at the courthouse in the county where the land, real estate, premises or other property sought to be appropriated is situated, and the jurors at such trial shall make in each case a separate assessment of damages which shall result to any person, corporation or company, or to the state, or to any county, by reason of the appropriation and use of such land, real estate, premises or other property by such corporation as aforesaid for any and all corporate purposes, and shall ascertain, determine and award the amount of damages to be paid to said owner or owners respectively, and to all tenants, encumbrancers and others interested, for the taking or injuriously affecting such land, real estate, premises or other property for the purpose of such enterprise, irrespective of any benefit from any improvement proposed by such corporation. Upon the trial, witnesses may be examined in behalf of either party to the proceedings as in civil actions; and a witness served with a subpoena in such proceedings shall be punished for failure to appear at such trial, or for perjury, as upon a trial of a civil action. Upon the verdict of the jury, judgment shall be entered for the amount of the damages awarded to such owner or owners respectively, and to all tenants, encumbrancers and others interested, for the taking or injuriously affecting such land, real estate, premises or other property. In case a jury is waived as in civil cases in courts of record in the manner prescribed by law, the compensation to be paid for the property sought to be appropriated shall be ascertained and determined by the court or the judge thereof, and the proceedings shall be the same as in trials of an issue of fact by the court.
[ 1890 p 297 s 5; RRS s 926.]