Crane v. Hahlo

Citations

• 258 U.S. 142
• 42 S. Ct. 214
• 66 L. Ed. 514
• 1922 U.S. LEXIS 2252

Syllabus

<p>1. A. purely statutory right of a landowner to recover damages resulting to his property from a change in the grade of a street upon which it abuts is not a right of contract within the meaning of the Contract Clause of the Constitution. P. 145.</p> <p>2. In determining whether due process of law has been denied, the character of the proceeding involved and the practice at common law and in this country, in like cases, must be considered. P. 147.</p> <p>3. The determination of the amount of damage to abutting property caused by changing the grade- of a city street may be properly left to a board of assessors, and the property owner is not deprived of due process if, pending the proceeding, his right to a general review by a court is limited by 'an amendatory law making the award final as to amount but leaving it reviewable- for lack of jurisdietioii, fraud, or the wilful misconduct of the members of the board. P. 147.</p> <p>4. Equal protection of the laws is not denied the claimant in such a ' caSe by vesting the final power to assess the amount of the damages in a board composed of officials of the city against which the claim is made, appointed by its mayor. P. 14'8.</p>