Eminent Domain Report

Last year I saw Win Win, a movie starring Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan and Jeffrey Tambor.  The movie, besides receiving critical acclaim, had two hooks for me.  One, the protagonist in the movie is an attorney.  I am a sucker for almost any lawyer movie.  (I still say My Cousin Vinny is one of the best 50 movies of the past 50 years.)  And two, the movie included wrestling.  No, not the Hulk Hogan and Macho Man Randy Savage stuff.  I mean the real folkstyle wrestling that occurs every 4 years at the Olympics and at the collegiate level. 

My dad was a college wrestler, which is probably why ...

In case you didn't have a chance to attend the event my partner, Gale Connor, spoke at earlier today, there's still time to learn about appraising in a litigation context. 

On Wednesday, March 21, I'll be speaking with three of my colleagues, Brad Kuhn, David Graeler, and Bernadette Duran-Brown at a half-day event sponsored by the American Society of Appraisers.  We're presenting Everything You Need to Know About Appraisals for Litigation at Scott's Restaurant and Bar in Costa Mesa.  The seminar runs from 2:00 to 5:00, with a dinner and networking event to follow. 

There may still be some ...

How is an eminent domain appraisal different from other forms of appraisals?  What is the difference between a deposit appraisal and an exchange appraisal and why do condemners usually hire separate appraisers for each?  If I am an appraiser, how do I develop a practice as an expert witness?

These and other questions will be answered in a panel discussion at the Northern California Chapter of the Appraisal Institute's "2012 Annual Spring Conference" to be held at the Doubletree Hotel, in Modesto, CA., on March 19, 2012.  I, along with Norm Hulberg of Hulberg & Associates and Larry ...

California provides a special procedural remedy whenever a lawsuit implicates a defendant's First Amendment right to petition or free speech.  The procedure is commonly referred to as the "anti-SLAPP."  (SLAPP is an acronym for Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation.)  Under this procedure, the trial court evaluates the merits of the lawsuit using a summary judgment like process, often at an early stage of the litigation.  In a recent unpublished decision, the California Court  of Appeal affirmed the propriety of applying this procedure when a plaintiff is ...

Shortly before an eminent domain trial, a government agency and a property owner exchange a statutory final offer and final demand. The statute’s sole purpose is to encourage settlement before trial, providing a carrot (to the property owner) and a stick (to the condemning agency). 

If the matter fails to settle before trial, the owner can seek an award of litigation expenses (i.e., attorneys’ fees and expert costs) if the court ultimately determines that, in light of the outcome, the agency’s final offer was unreasonable and the owner’s final demand was reasonable. (See ...

Over the past few years, we've seen California courts go in several different directions when it comes to admitting opinions on the value of a business' loss of goodwill in the context of an eminent domain action.  As a result, eminent domain attorneys, public agencies, and appraisers have been left shooting at somewhat of a moving target as to whether courts will be flexible on the admission of unique or unconventional goodwill opinions.  This week, the California Court of Appeal issued an unpublished decision, City of South Gate v. S&M Auto Sales, which, although not ...

There are a number of redevelopment updates making headlines both in California and nationwide. 

National Redevelopment Update:

We've been following H.R. 1433 -- the "Private Property Rights Protection Act of 2011" --  a bill that would limit the power of eminent domain on a national platform.  We last reported in January that the bill was finally adopted by the House Judiciary Committee, and would next make its way to the House for approval.  According to an article on The Hill by Pete Kasperowicz, House votes to overturn Supreme Court decision on eminent domain, that next step ...

Here's a quick update about some recent headlines in our eminent domain community.

• Eminent Domain for New School in Foster City?  According to a Mercury News article, Charter Square owners resistant to selling property to school district, the San Mateo-Foster City School District is looking for a site for a new school, and it may turn to eminent domain to acquire the Charter Square Shopping Center.  Moving forward with the new school depends on the passage of a $130 million bond measure in June.  If it goes forward, more than a dozen businesses will need to be relocated.
• Orinda to Condemn ...

Reflecting on the Golden Age of Saturday Night Live, icons such as Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Steve Martin, Jane Curtin, and Dan Aykroyd jump to mind.  As such, it should come as no surprise that one of my favorite recurring characters has always been Emily Litella.  An old lady who would spend a minute or so railing against some ridiculous topic premised on a mistaken understanding of some headline or story, only to conclude with a sweet "never mind" after the error was pointed out to her.  In a recent per curiam decision by the United States Court of ...

We all knew that redevelopment agencies wouldn't go down without a fight after the California Supreme Court delivered the elimination-knock-out-punch in California Redevelopment Association v. Matosantos.  As expected, agencies took a two-pronged approach to try and stave off their elimination: (1) through the legislature, and (2) through the court system.  Friday delivered another one-two punch to redevelopment agencies, and this time they may be finally pinned in a corner.  

Legislative Update:  With respect to the legislative fix, we reported a few weeks ago that Senator ...