(a) The amount deposited or withdrawn pursuant to this chapter may not be given in evidence or referred to in the trial of the issue of compensation.
§ 1255.060.Trial of Issue of Compensation
Title 7. Eminent Domain Law · Chapter 6. Deposit and Withdrawal of Probable Compensation; Possession Prior to Judgment · Article 1. Deposit of Probable Compensation · Last amended 2003 · Last verified July 29, 2026
In one sentenceSection 1255.060 shields the deposit and withdrawal process from the trial on compensation: the amounts on deposit or withdrawn stay out of evidence, appraisal reports and similar statements made under this chapter count as nobody's admission, and their authors generally cannot be forced to give an opinion on value at trial.
Full Text of § 1255.060
(b) In the trial of the issue of compensation, an appraisal report, written statement and summary of an appraisal, or other statement made in connection with a deposit or withdrawal pursuant to this chapter may not be considered to be an admission of any party.
(c) Upon objection of the party at whose request an appraisal report, written statement and summary of the appraisal, or other statement was made in connection with a deposit or withdrawal pursuant to this chapter, the person who made the report or statement and summary or other statement may not be called at the trial on the issue of compensation by any other party to give an opinion as to compensation. If the person who prepared the report, statement and summary, or other statement is called at trial to give an opinion as to compensation, the report, statement and summary, or other statement may be used for impeachment of the witness.
Plain-English Summary
This section keeps the deposit-and-withdrawal machinery from bleeding into the merits of the case. The amounts deposited or withdrawn under this chapter can't be given in evidence or even referred to at the trial on compensation. And an appraisal report, written statement or summary of an appraisal, or other statement made in connection with a deposit or withdrawal isn't treated as any party's admission.
Subdivision (c) protects the people who prepared those statements, too. If the party who requested a report, statement, or summary objects, no other party can call that person at trial to give an opinion on compensation. That protection has a limit, though -- if the person who prepared the statement is called at trial anyway, the earlier statement can be used to impeach that witness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the jury learn how much was deposited or withdrawn under this chapter?
No. Section 1255.060(a) keeps those amounts out of evidence and off-limits even by reference at the compensation trial.
Are appraisal statements filed with a deposit treated as admissions?
No. Subdivision (b) says they aren't considered an admission of any party.
Can the opposing side call my appraiser to testify to an opinion on value?
Not if you object -- unless that appraiser is called at trial anyway, in which case the earlier statement can be used to impeach the testimony.
Amendment History
Amended by Stats 2002 ch 295 (AB 1770),s 2, eff. 1/1/2003.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 29, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: evidence exclusion eminent domain deposit californiaappraisal statement admission condemnation california