The government may take your private real estate from you if they deem it necessary for public use. This is an inherent power of the government. But they must pay “reasonable compensation” to the landowner in exchange for any taking.
Condemnation is the court process the government must follow in taking your property. In a condemnation case, the government will appoint a board of commissioners to appraise your property and offer that amount as reasonable compensation.
You are entitled to contest the Commissioner’s award and take your case to trial. At trial, you can ask the jury to award what you think the property is actually worth. If the jury awards more than ten percent over the commissioners award, then you are entitled to your attorney fees and litigation expenses as well.
Oklahoma City Condemnation Attorney
If the Commissioner’s Award is less than what the market value of your property, you should consult with an experienced condemnation attorney about pursuing a claim for “just compensation.”
OKC Lawyer Handling Inverse Condemnation Cases
Sometimes you can force the government to take your payment and pay you for it. This process is called inverse condemnation, and this is an option to pursue when the government has damaged your property beyond repair (such as a sewer back-up) or created circumstances that harm the value of your property.