Lowball Watch — Indiana

A Superior Court judge in Kokomo affirmed a jury verdict for $305,000 brought in in spite of the city’s claim that compensation should have been only $100,000. What divided the parties was the city’s contention that it was required to pay only for the part taken, whereas the owners also claimed compensation for severance damages caused […]

Lowball Watch — New York

The Rockland/Westchester Journal News of May 7, 2019, reports that in the taking of a privately owned child care center, the condemnor offered $90,960, but the trial court awarded $469,111 plus $233,391 in additional  fees. The Appellate Division affirmed. See https://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/rockland/spring-valley/2019/05/07/spring-valley-day-care-payment/1130260001/

Lowball Watch — Kansas

Scripps Media reports on line that In Overland Park, Kansas, a local condemor offered the owners $9000 for a small taking to improve a road. When the owner rejected the offer, appraisers awarded $19,000. The bone of contention was a large sycamore tree on the taken land for which the condemnor offered nothing. It was […]

Lowball Watch — Indiana

The Cherokee Tribune reports a jury award over twice the city’s offer. The subject property was commercial, improved with a glass shop. The city offered $160,000. City’s appraisers opined to a value of $145,000. The jury verdict was $305,000, plus interest. The court also awarded the owners attorney fees in the amount of $26,000. Devin […]

Lowball Watch — Texas

Businesswire.com (Feb.25, 209) reports that a jury in Houston rejected the state DOT’s $3.2 million valuation for a partial taking of a 4-acre parcel of land for a highway, leaving a 9-acre remainder in the owner’s hands. The jury followed closely the owner’s appraisal and awarded $12.2 Million. The award was roughly four times the […]

Lowball Watch — Louisiana

The New Orleans Advocate of February 22, 2019 reports an end to the nine-year legal battle between St. Bernard Parish and the privately owned Violet Dock port facility. The Parish offered $14 million, but after a fight over the right to take (which the Parish won) and two trials, the Louisiana Supreme Court affirmed an […]

Lowball Watch — New Jersey

Word reaches us from New Jersey that the Township of Bloomfield which had earlier deposited $400,000 for the taking of the old railroad station in Bloomfield (and later increased its offer to $440,00) just got hit with a jury verdict of $1.1 million. There was an award in an earlier trial (reversed on appeal) that […]

Lowball Watch — Texas

PRNewswire.com reports that when the State Of Texas took some 9500 square feet of land out of an auto salvage operation, it offered the owners $65,000. However, after trial, a Bell County jury brought in a verdict of $500,000. The taking involved moving of the owners’ driveway, which caused safety problems and accidents. State of […]

Lowball Watch — Pennsylvania

The York Daily Report brings the dispatch that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has refused to review the judgment in the taking of the old, vacant York jail building. The Board of Viewers — that’s Pennsylvania talk for commissioners — awarded $65,000, plus $4000 in attorneys fees. But when the case went to trial, the jury […]