When the government authorizes an eminent domain action regarding your land, the government will make an offer to compensate you for your property. All too often, this offer is grossly inadequate and you have the right to contest the offer and demand what you believe is the fair value of your property. If the government does not agree to your price, an eminent domain attorney can engage in negotiations, using appraisals and other tools to help you obtain fair compensation. However, if the government refuses to agree to a fair value, your case can go to trial before the court.
Fighting for Fair Compensation
One landowner in Illinois may be heading to trial 1 regarding his eminent domain case. This landowner has had experience with the condemnation process before, as the city of Rockford has previously seized land from him in the 1990s and the Illinois Department of Transportation secured a temporary easement to use his property in 2013. Now, the city once again wants to seize three properties to turn into parking lots. The city reportedly offered $490,000 for the properties, while the landowner maintains he deserves $895,000 for the condemnation. If they do not reach an agreement soon, the case will go to trial.
Eminent domain cases rarely make it all the way to trial. The court will require pretrial conferences for negotiation and you may engage in mediation to try to come to a favorable agreement in order to avoid the time and expense of trial. In some cases, though, the city refuses to make a reasonable offer and a landowner does have the right to a trial to stand up for their rights to the fair and just value of their land.
Discuss Your Case with an Illinois Eminent Domain Attorney Today
In many situations, trial can be avoided in an eminent domain case and your matter can be resolved through out-of-court negotiations. However, if your case goes make it to trial, you want a law firm on your side that has extensive litigation experience in eminent domain cases. If your landowner rights are being threatened, call the condemnation attorneys at Sever Walker Padgitt, LLP at 888-318-3761 today.
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