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Eminent Domain

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It is a well-known fact that the government makes laws that benefit it, and sometimes to the detriment of the average citizen. Take, for example, the tax laws. You would be hard pressed to find a taxpayer who believes that paying taxes is fair. In fact most people would complain that they pay taxes all year by having an amount held out from their check, only to owe additional monies every April 15. This form of governmental taking is probably the most popular, but there are other actions that result in a private citizen losing their property to a governmental agency. However not every instance of a taking leaves the average citizen without a remedy, and in some instances not every instance of taken results in the person having less than when …show more content…

In real life it works like this: ● Only a governmental entity (or a private entity that has been granted the powers of eminent domain) have the authority to take property from a private citizen, and even then the taking must be pursuant to a stated public use. Examples of public use include pipelines and roadways. State and Federal governmental agencies are given the power of eminent domain when the purpose meets the test for a public need. ● The landowner is allowed to receive “just compensation” for their property, meaning the landowner is paid for the taking of their real …show more content…

It is the area of what amount of payment is adequate that is most frequently contested in a condemnation matter. In order to show that the amount offered adequately compensates the owner it is usually necessary to look at comparable sales in the area and the current use of the land. Looking at these factors is a good way to show for what type of use the land is most suited. If the proposed use does not make the most of the possibilities, the amount of compensation offered may not be

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