Opinion

Giardina v. Marrero Furniture Co.

  • 300 So. 2d 543
  • 1974 La. App. LEXIS 3500
Court
Louisiana Court of Appeal
Filed
Sep 10, 1974
Status
Published
Author
Lemmon
On the bench
Lemmon, Marcel, Stoulig, Tern
Cited by
1 cases
Authority
More cited than 25.3%

The opinion

LEMMON, Judge

(dissenting).

The issue in this case is whether the owner of immovable property abutting a public road can compel by mandatory injunction the removal of a structure located within the road right of way, when the structure is completely unrelated to the purpose for which the right of way was granted or to the lawful use of the right of way.

In Jones Island Realty Co., Inc. v. Middendorf, 191 La. 456 , 185 So. 881 (1939) plaintiff obtained an order compelling removal of a building constructed on the highway right of way fronting plaintiffs property, although plaintiff owned 1700 feet of highway frontage.

In Bradley v. Pharr, 45 La.Ann. 426 , 12 So. 618 (1893) defendant constructed a private railway on the public road in front of plaintiff’s land. The court held that the rights of an owner, whose land abuts a public road, are different from those of the general public, and that when the owner’s rights are invaded by construction of private works on the road, the owner may obtain injunction without proving special and immediate injury.

In numerous other cases the mandatory injunction has been used to compel the removal of erections and obstructions from roads, sidewalks, banks of navigable streams and public squares. See IV La.L. Rev. 422, 425 (1942) and the cases cited therein.

The sign in the present case, clearly lo-cáted within the right of way, was erected and is being maintained in violation of positive law prohibiting such a sign. R.S. 32:236. Thus located, the sign constitutes a detriment to plaintiffs’ free and full use of their property, either for access at that point or for effective placement of an advertising billboard on their land behind the sign. Accordingly, plaintiffs are entitled to the mandatory injunction sought against the Marrero Furniture Company, Inc.

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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