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Eminent Domain: First Principles, Kelo, and In Service of Infrastructure Buildout
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Regulatory Takings and Executive Power to Seize Property
Procedures governing eminent domain actions differ in some respects from other areas of law. Notably, all issues, except the sole issue of compensation, are adjudicated by the court....more
The Arizona Court of Appeals recently held that members of a homeowners’ association are not entitled to severance damages to their residential parcels when common areas are condemned....more
In my last blog, I wrote about the shortcomings of compensating displaced property owners based on the ‘objective’ standard of the market value of their property. That standard ignores the owners’ ‘subjective’ losses, such...more
When we take on an eminent domain case, our primary goal is to put our client in the best position possible. In some cases, that means fighting the taking itself, as my dad (and boss) did in the well-known Wayne County v....more
One of the issues that comes up frequently in eminent domain is whether the proceeds a property or business owner will receive from the government is treated as ordinary income, capital gains or is exempt from federal and/or...more
A recent article from Border Report, Tijuana residents holding out for more money, slowing construction of border crossing, caught my attention. Not only because we're advising on the border crossing project on the U.S....more
Please join us on November 16, 2022, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. PT for "Partial Acquisitions: Project Benefits and Mitigation Strategies Related to Offsetting Severance Damages." Nossaman’s Bernadette Duran-Brown and Aleene...more
Facts: The property owner alleged a per se taking and inverse condemnation in the expansion of a road that increased surface and stormwater runoff flowing under the property and ultimately a sinkhole in the parking lot. The...more
Throughout all of the ups and downs in 2021, there have been multiple developments on the eminent domain front, including the special occasion where the U.S. Supreme Court heard a takings case. Outside of case law, 2021 saw...more
In Colorado, eminent domain (also known as condemnation) proceedings take place in several stages. These proceedings are similar to, but not the same as, other civil trials. Most attorneys — let alone property owners — do not...more
Most professionals in the right-of-way industry are generally aware that partial acquisitions may entitle a property owner to receive compensation not only for the value of the land taken, but also for any damages caused to...more
City and county attorneys and those representing other governmental entities within Tennessee may soon find themselves regularly exercising their eminent domain powers as infrastructure projects increase across the state and...more
When a public agency seeks to acquire property by eminent domain, the agency’s appraiser sometimes forgets to account for unique value attributes of the property. For example, the valuation may fail to take into account...more
When a public agency is acquiring private property for a public project, typically the key issue in dispute is how much the agency should pay -- what is “just compensation”? ...more
After adopting a resolution of necessity and initiating eminent domain proceedings to acquire private property, public agencies are usually in a rush to move forward with the proposed public project. But every once in a...more
It is Christmas in July for eminent domain practitioners! We have a California Supreme Court opinion on a condemnation case, which is rare. The case, Weiss v. People ex rel. Department of Transportation (2020 Cal. LEXIS...more
In an eminent domain proceeding, tenants of property subject to condemnation have constitutional rights to just compensation. However, those rights can be assigned to the landlord through a lease agreement. A recent...more
Approximately 20% of Connecticut’s 169 municipalities usually conduct general revaluations every five years as required by law. Due to a quirk in the schedule, 2019 revaluations will be conducted by only 14 communities. While...more
In an eminent domain proceeding, the property owner and the condemning agency each typically introduce evidence of just compensation through valuation experts. The jury is then required to render a verdict in between the...more
Like the vast majority of general civil litigation, eminent domain matters usually settle before going to trial. The resolution is typically documented in either a stipulated judgment or a settlement agreement. ...more
In a recent unpublished Court of Appeal decision, Downs v. City of Redding (October 30, 2018), the Court took up two distinct issues: (a) whether a contractor’s use of property for construction staging constitutes a taking...more
When a government condemns (takes) private property for a public use, the property owner is entitled to receive “just compensation” equal to the property’s market value. Value is typically determined by appraisals, but if the...more
Public entities are often faced with the challenging issue of acquiring property for construction projects. Acquiring property can be a lengthy process depending on property owners’ disposition with regard to selling...more
For many landowners, having property taken through eminent domain can be a jarring experience. Faced with the prospect of losing all or a portion of their property, landowners are often eager to answer the all-important...more