ÿWPC¯ »NÄÒ—Ù3\EÔVC€µ³îÑ\lÆT¼üœp;N(Ò;å"«ZîNX¹ vÐÅz"E z€žV€»Ÿ íènï[7W¤%‡°M"=ƒzd}̆Qp¨‚°ÈK6ÙΫ&0…¦ú9­ÃT´Ác ±s5ä£ä!0¢ÁÖ9y}„ºU’«±÷£ø)MÁØÇžÌ.‘8üãwå )‘!m˜@âг ¸EE€ÑÄEÎ$u¼ï ö˳þ†jîð²`È'èÁÓ襸úðȆO.ûf7¯ Žm¢+òßBºôœóò@ OkX²/çü‹„{ -8VVž›ÙG¶Â?Îy–VpÕÐÜl…Î9ž¡¶²®xŠ‹ýR/Á•õÂ5CœÉûÉR¾®*&òi¨T!¬q$ þ펱 d”wén,á.Ž|“ý1þ%¦ÍVYº( .wlMY-@òÕµü-º¡›bÍB@—¥¢U‹¤ª&/·ˆ*?•ž¾i0vÂCe1näŸlçfÚ¯kbÖ¯–%U@ÆÕ¸çy6ëÔzÞIBËÃeîk·>ûs @ ÊIŒÑ5wœìÑ$TD I/†0SkA¨ÝskÎz@º´eç«ÕßÇ ðaFÑŨb#Á\ % U@# 0ˆc U Në n­9 Næ zè Òb 4 ^ < < wH ÆL Æ ÆØ Æž4dNxz‰E‹ mb¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ 0묬¬¬ B—— 0¤´ D3X D-‹ 0K¸¸ ASÆV 0¤ 0DÀ A«˜HP LaserJet 4050 Series PCL 5eÈÈ,,,,ÈÈ0»(ÆúI Z‹(Times New Roman (`£ª$¡¡Ñ€.ÑÑ8€½­»»d»»d8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  Ó(í€"  Z6Times New Roman Regular«<þ6X9`("Courier NewTTXXxþ6X@ÉDQX@ ˜C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wpt Î…Y) Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5‚Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5„Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5…Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5sM)p}.bk13|xÿU‹ÿÀÀÀ- ù-(|G2ŽË$¤¤Ý ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€UÕ»»dd8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  ÚóóÔ€ôþ=ò»»Ô d(|3$££Ý ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€UÕ»»dd8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  ÝVVVV'ÿÿdxd)!ÈÈÈÈdxdx( ±þ$’’ò òFigure€Ú  Ú1Ú  Úó ó^_X`YEþÿ<<CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3$¢¢Ý ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€UÕ»»dd8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  Ý($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó óX[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿCÿÿ HKKKKÝ ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€UÕ»»ddÈ8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÔ_ÔÑ  ÑÔ€¼UÕ»»»ÔÑ8€éXXdì»»d8ÑÑ  ÑÔ€¼UÕ»»¼UÕÔà@ü ü ìàÔ‡îœuUÕÔIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEˆÐ ° Ðà@kk$ìàAT€NASHVILLEÔ#†¼UÕ»îîœu+#ԈРÖ& ÐÓ  ÓSeptember€8,€2000€SessionÐ üL ÐÔ‡XéX»¼UÕÔÌò òÔ#†¼UÕ»XXé#ÔDORIS€RACKLEY,€òòet€al.óó€v.€DEKALB€COUNTY€FIRE€Ð úJ ÐDEPARTMENT,€òòet€alóó.Ô‡XéX»¼UÕÔó óÐ  ^ ÐÌà@@½½ìàò ò€Appeal€from€the€Circuit€Court€for€DeKalb€CountyÐ  ^ Ðà@@øøìàNo.€7513€€€€€€John€Turnbull,€JudgeÐ ú J ÐÌÌà@@ìì*ìàßA€V) °°` d€÷E<½` AßÐ ¾  ÐÌà@@TTìàNo.€M2000„00885„Ô_ÔCOAÔ_Ô„R3„CV€„€Filed€October€25,€Ô_Ô2000Ô_ÔÐ ¹  ÐÌßA€V) °°` dE<` AßÐ ‘á  Ðó óÌÓ  ÓA€purchaser€of€real€property€invited€the€DeKalb€County€Volunteer€Fire€Department€to€burn€downÐ ŒÜ Ða€house€on€the€property€for€training€purposes.€€After€the€house€was€destroyed,€the€seller€re„tookÐ xÈ Ðpossession€of€the€property,€because€the€buyer€failed€to€pay€the€rest€of€the€purchase€price.€€The€sellerÐ d´ Ðbrought€suit€against€the€County€for€inverse€condemnation€and€trespass.€€The€trial€court€dismissed€theÐ P  Ðcomplaint.€€We€affirm.Ô#†¼UÕ»XXéº#ÔÔ‡XéX»¼UÕÔÐ <Œ ÐÓôÓÌò òTenn.€R.€App.€P.€3€Appeal€as€of€Right;€Judgment€of€the€Circuit€CourtÐ d ÐAffirmed€and€Remandedó óÐ P ÐÌòòÓ  ÓÔ#†¼UÕ»àXé#ÔÔ‡XéX.¼UÕÔBen€H.€Cantrell,€P.J.,€M.S.óó,€delivered€the€opinion€of€the€court,€in€which€òòWilliam€B.€Cainóó€andÐ Ø( ÐòòHolly€K.€Lillardóó,€joined.Ð Ä ÐÌFrank€Buck€and€Lena€Ann€Buck,€Smithville,€Tennessee,€for€the€appellants,€Doris€Rackley,€HazelÐ œì ÐMaynard,€Virginia€Rackley,€and€the€heirs€at€law€of€the€late€Mary€Emma€Rackley€Johnson,€and€PatÐ ˆØ ÐFarler,€Eva€Cooper,€Barbara€Knupp,€and€the€heirs€at€law€of€Norval€Rackley.Ð t Ä ÐÌMichael€E.€Evans,€Nashville,€Tennessee,€for€the€appellee,€DeKalb€County€Fire€Department,€anÐ L"œ! Ðagency€of€DeKalb€County,€Tennessee.Ð 8#ˆ" ÐÓéÓÌò òOPINIONó óÔ#†¼UÕ»XXé#ÔÔ‡XéX»¼UÕÔÐ %` $ ÐÌòòóóÔ#†¼UÕ»XXé #ÔÔ‡XéX»¼UÕÔÓ  Óà@Æ Æ ìàò òI.€€òòA€Piece€of€Property€is€Sold,€and€a€House€Burns€óóó óˆÐ è&8"& ÐÌò òó óà  àAfter€Mary€Johnson€died,€the€ownership€of€a€seven€acre€piece€of€land€at€6612€McMinnvilleÐ À($( ÐHighway€passed€to€her€heirs.€€A€house,€a€barn€and€two€outbuildings€were€located€on€the€property.Ð ¬)ü$) ÐThe€other€heirs€gave€Doris€Rackley,€Mrs.€Johnsonððs€brother,€permission€to€manage€the€property€andÐ ˜*è%* Ðto€sell€it€on€their€behalf.€€Mr.€Rackley€listed€the€property€with€a€real€estate€agent€for€an€asking€priceÐ „+Ô&+ Ðof€$78,000.€€The€property€failed€to€sell,€and€after€six€months€the€contract€expired.€€Fred€and€PaulaÐ p,À', ÐRowland€subsequently€contacted€Mr.€Rackley,€and€he€agreed€to€sell€the€property€to€them.Ð \-¬(-ý Їà  àThe€printed€contract€of€sale,€which€was€signed€by€the€Rowlands€and€by€Mr.€Rackley€onÐ ° ÐNovember€13,€1997,€recited€a€purchase€price€of€$50,000,€with€payment€of€$2,000€in€earnest€moneyÐ œì Ðby€the€Rowlands.€€The€Rowlands€brought€only€$1,000€to€the€contract€signing.€€They€added€a€hand„Ð ˆØ Ðwritten€entry€to€the€contract,€which€read,€ð ð1000.00€will€be€paid€11/19/97€on€Wednesday,ðð€andÐ tÄ Ðinitialed€it.€€However,€the€Rowlands€made€no€payments€on€the€contract€other€than€the€initial€$1,000.€Ð `° ÐÌà  àThe€contract€stated€that€the€sale€would€be€closed€before€April€1,€1998,€and€that€time€was€ofÐ 8 ˆ Ðthe€essence.€€The€closing€was€later€extended€to€April€30.€€After€signing€the€contract,€the€RowlandsÐ $ t Ðbegan€to€treat€the€property€as€their€own.€€They€allowed€one€individual€to€remove€nursery€stock€fromÐ  ` Ðthe€property,€and€another€to€remove€lumber€from€the€exterior€of€the€barn.Ð ü L  ÐÌà  àMr.€Rowland€also€contacted€Donny€Green,€the€chief€of€the€DeKalb€County€Fire€Department,Ð Ô$  Ðtold€him€there€was€a€structure€on€his€property€that€he€wanted€destroyed,€and€asked€if€the€FireÐ À  ÐDepartment€could€destroy€it€as€part€of€their€practice.€€Mr.€Rowland€signed€a€Release€of€Liability,Ð ¬ü  Ðauthorizing€the€Fire€Department€to€destroy€an€ð ðabandoned€wood€frame€houseðð€located€at€6612Ð ˜è  ÐMcMinnville€Highway.€€He€was€on€the€property€and€he€re„affirmed€that€he€was€its€owner,€on€the€dayÐ „Ô  Ðin€late€April€when€Chief€Green€and€his€men€burned€the€house€down€as€a€training€exercise.Ð pÀ ÐÌà  àAfter€Mr.€Rackley€visited€the€property€and€saw€the€destruction,€he€contacted€his€attorney,Ð H˜ Ðwho€sent€a€letter€dated€April€30,€1998€to€Mr.€Rowland,€advising€him€that€ð ðMr.€Rackley€is€standingÐ 4„ Ðprepared€and€ready€to€complete€this€contract.ðð€€The€letter€went€on:Ð  p ÐÒ°ÒÒ°ÒÌà ` àIn€the€event€that€you€are€unable€to€tender€the€balance€owed€of€$49,000,€thenÐ øH Ðbe€advised€that€Mr.€Rackley€shall€take€immediate€possession€of€the€aforesaidÐ ä4 Ðproperty€.€.€.€.€€€Notice€is€hereby€given€do€not€come€to€this€property€if€you€do€notÐ Ð  Ðtender€the€monies.à  àÐ ¼  ÐÒ°ÒÒ°ÒÌà  àMr.€Rowland€failed€to€respond.€€On€June€2,€1998,€Mr.€Rackley€and€the€other€heirs€filed€suitÐ ”ä Ðagainst€the€Rowlands,€asking€for€specific€performance€on€the€contract.€€The€suit€also€asked€forÐ €Ð Ðdamages€from€the€individuals€who€had€taken€the€nursery€stock€and€the€barn€lumber,€and€from€theÐ l¼ ÐDeKalb€County€Fire€Department,€acting€as€an€agent€of€DeKalb€County.Ð X ¨ ÐÌà  àOn€June€23,€1999,€the€plaintiffs€non„suited€Fred€and€Paula€Rowland€without€prejudice.€€TheÐ 0"€  Ðother€defendants€were€also€non„suited,€with€the€exception€of€DeKalb€County€and€the€DeKalb€CountyÐ #l! ÐFire€Department.€€The€case€went€to€trial€against€the€governmental€defendants€alone,€on€theories€ofÐ $X" Ðð ðnegligent€trespassðð€and€inverse€condemnation.€€At€the€conclusion€of€the€trial,€the€trial€courtÐ ô$D # Ðdismissed€the€complaint.€€The€courtððs€judgment,€filed€March€13,€2000,€recited€its€findings€of€fact€andÐ à%0!$ Ðconclusions€of€law:€that€the€County€was€immune€from€liability€for€trespass,€that€inverseÐ Ì&"% Ðcondemnation€was€inapplicable,€and€that€the€burning€of€the€house€did€not€cause€a€reduction€in€theÐ ¸'#& Ðvalue€of€the€property.€€This€appeal€followed.Ð ¤(ô#' ÐÌÌÐ h+¸&* Ðà@œ œ ìàò òII.€€òòTrespass€and€Equitable€Conversionóó€ó óˆÐ ° ÐÌà  àThe€plaintiffs€argue€on€appeal€that€the€fire€chief€was€negligent€in€failing€to€ascertain€the€trueÐ ˆØ Ðowner€of€the€property€before€burning€the€house€down.€€They€contend€that€Mr.€Green€could€easilyÐ tÄ Ðhave€discovered€that€legal€title€was€in€the€hands€of€others,€even€without€making€a€trip€to€theÐ `° Ðcourthouse€to€search€the€county€records.€€In€addition€to€his€position€as€chief€of€the€volunteer€fireÐ L œ Ðdepartment,€Mr.€Green€was€also€the€agricultural€agent€for€the€county,€and€the€plaintiffs€observed€thatÐ 8 ˆ Ða€search€of€his€own€records€would€have€revealed€a€tobacco€allotment€for€the€land,€held€in€the€nameÐ $ t Ðof€Doris€Rackley.Ð  ` ÐÌà  àWe€believe€this€argument€is€beside€the€point.€€Mr.€Rowland€had€entered€into€a€valid€contractÐ è 8  Ðto€purchase€the€property.€€An€executory€contract€for€the€sale€of€land€operates€as€an€equitableÐ Ô$  Ðconversion,€with€the€result€that€while€legal€title€remains€in€the€hands€of€the€vendor,€the€purchaser€isÐ À  Ðconsidered€to€be€the€equitable€owner.€€A€corollary€is€that€as€the€equitable€owner,€the€purchaser€bearsÐ ¬ü  Ðthe€risk€of€loss€on€the€property.€€òòSeeóó€òòEquitable€Conversionóó,€27A€A.L.R.€ðð€13.Ð ˜è  ÐÌà  àThere€was€no€provision€in€the€contract€of€sale€that€would€have€had€the€effect€of€postponingÐ pÀ ÐMr.€Rowlandððs€right€to€enter€or€possess€the€property€until€after€closing.€€He€was€thus€in€rightfulÐ \¬ Ðpossession€of€the€property€at€the€time€he€gave€Mr.€Green€permission€to€burn€the€house.€€The€fact€ofÐ H˜ ÐMr.€Rowlandððs€possession€is€admitted€in€the€plaintiffsðð€sworn€complaint,€and€can€also€be€inferredÐ 4„ Ðfrom€the€plaintiffsðð€letter€of€April€24,€threatening€to€re„take€possession€if€Mr.€Rowland€did€not€fulfillÐ  p Ðhis€side€of€the€bargain.€€Ð  \ ÐÌà  àAny€theory€of€liability€against€the€County€based€upon€negligence€or€trespass€must€thereforeÐ ä4 Ðfail.€€If€the€Fire€Department€had€the€permission€of€the€equitable€owner€to€enter€on€the€land,€suchÐ Ð  Ðentry€does€not€amount€to€a€trespass,€and€the€County€cannot€be€held€liable€for€failing€to€discover€thatÐ ¼  Ðthe€equitable€title€and€the€legal€title€to€the€land€were€held€by€different€parties.€€This€does€notÐ ¨ø Ðnecessarily€mean€that€the€plaintiffs€are€left€without€a€remedy.€€However,€that€remedy€cannot€beÐ ”ä Ðobtained€from€the€County,€but€only€from€the€Rowlands,€who€by€failing€to€close€by€April€30,€openedÐ €Ð Ðthemselves€up€to€liability€for€any€damage€occurring€to€the€property€while€it€was€in€their€possession.€Ð l¼ ÐÌà@/ / ìàò òIII.òò€€Inverse€Condemnation€and€Valuationóóó óˆÐ D!” ÐÌà  àAs€an€alternative€to€their€claim€in€trespass,€the€plaintiffs€have€argued€that€the€County€shouldÐ #l! Ðbe€held€liable€under€a€theory€of€inverse€condemnation.€€They€contend€that€the€burning€of€the€houseÐ $X" Ðamounted€to€a€ð ðtakingðð€of€their€property€for€the€governmental€purpose€of€training€young€firefighters.Ð ô$D # ÐIf€we€accept€their€argument€that€the€burning€of€the€house€was€a€taking€for€the€purposes€of€the€inverseÐ à%0!$ Ðcondemnation€statute,€Tenn.€Code.€Ann.€ðð€29„16„123(a),€then€the€measure€of€damages€would€be€theÐ Ì&"% Ðdifference€between€the€fair€market€value€of€the€property€before€and€after€the€taking.€€òòBetty€v.Ð ¸'#& ÐMetropolitan€Governmentóó,€835€S.W.2d€1,€7€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€1992).Ð ¤(ô#' ÐÌà  àHowever€the€trial€court€made€a€finding€of€fact€that€ð ð[t]he€proof€introduced€by€Plaintiffs€didÐ |*Ì%) Ðnot€establish€depreciation€of€value€as€to€the€real€estate€at€issue,€and€a€claim€of€inverse€condemnationÐ h+¸&* Ðis€not€established.ðð€€Findings€of€fact€by€the€trial€court€in€civil€actions€are€presumed€to€be€correct,Ð ° Ðunless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€is€otherwise.€€Rule€13(d),€Tenn.€R.€App.€P.Ð œì ÐÌà  àThe€evidence€tending€to€support€the€plaintiffsðð€position€that€the€actions€of€the€FireÐ tÄ ÐDepartment€reduced€the€value€of€the€property€included€the€testimony€of€Doris€Rackley€and€NolanÐ `° ÐTurner.€€Mr.€Rackley€testified€that€he€believed€the€property€to€have€been€worth€$64,000€with€theÐ L œ Ðhouse€on€it.€€Mr.€Turner,€a€seasoned€inspector€for€the€Farm€Bureau,€testified€that€he€had€appraisedÐ 8 ˆ Ðthe€house€for€insurance€purposes€in€April€of€1997€at€$12,000.€€Mr.€Turner€noted€that€the€presenceÐ $ t Ðof€the€house€might€increase€the€commercial€potential€of€the€property,€since€numerous€nursery€yardsÐ  ` Ðin€Warren€and€DeKalb€Counties€use€a€trailer€or€an€old€building€on€the€premises€to€help€them€conductÐ ü L  Ðtheir€business.Ð è 8  ÐÌà  àHowever€Mr.€Turner€also€stated€on€direct€that€the€$50,000€price€that€the€Rowlands€agreedÐ À  Ðto€pay€for€the€property€would€be€about€what€it€was€worth€at€that€time.€€On€cross„examination,€heÐ ¬ü  Ðtestified€that€the€best€way€to€determine€the€value€of€any€given€piece€of€property€is€through€a€sale€ofÐ ˜è  Ðthat€property,€and€that€the€very€best€kind€of€sale€for€assessing€fair€market€value€would€be€a€publicÐ „Ô  Ðauction.Ð pÀ ÐÌà  àAs€we€stated€above,€Mr.€Rackley€signed€a€contract€of€sale€on€November€13,€1997,€in€whichÐ H˜ Ðhe€agreed€to€sell€the€house€to€the€Rowlands€for€$50,000.€€In€April€of€1998,€the€house€was€burned,Ð 4„ Ðand€the€Rackleys€subsequently€filed€suit€against€the€Rowlands€for€specific€performance€on€theÐ  p Ð$50,000€contract,€but€subsequently€non„suited€them.€€On€May€18,€1999,€the€property€was€sold€atÐ  \ Ðpublic€auction€to€B.F.€Hooper€for€$50,000.€€After€examining€the€entire€record,€we€do€not€believe€thatÐ øH Ðthe€plaintiffs€managed€to€prove€that€the€value€of€their€property€was€reduced€as€a€result€of€the€actionsÐ ä4 Ðof€the€DeKalb€County€Volunteer€Fire€Department.€Ð Ð  ÐÌà@dd)ìàò òIV.ó óˆÐ ¨ø ÐÌà  àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.€€Remand€this€cause€to€the€Circuit€Court€ofÐ €Ð ÐDeKalb€County€for€further€proceedings€consistent€with€this€opinion.€€Tax€the€costs€on€appeal€to€theÐ l¼ Ðappellant.Ð X ¨ ÐÌÌÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À à_________________________________________Ð $X" Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€PRESIDING€JUDGE,€M.S.Ð ô$D # ÐÔ#†¼UÕ»XXés #ÔÔ‡XéX»¼UÕÔ