EMINENT DOMAIN TRIAL SUCCESS STORIES

3 day trial for a high end residential home in southwest Wisconsin that was subject to a high voltage transmission line easement. The utilities’ appraiser determined that the property did not lose any value because of the high voltage line. At the end of the trial, the jury returned a verdict of approximately $100,000 for the high voltage line.

4 day trial in Dane County involving a vacant commercial property impacted by a major road construction project. Before the project, the property had high visibility and was roughly at grade with the roadway. After the road construction project, the road was lowered significantly meaning that the property was no longer highly visible. The condemnor’s appraiser valued the taking at about $144,000. At the end of trial, the jury awarded $561,573 for the taking.

3 day jury trial in Sauk County involving a residential/agricultural property in Sauk County. The utility company’s appraiser valued the taking at $7,550. The jury awarded $65,000 which was the exact amount opined to by the landowner’s expert.

3 day jury trial that took place in 2014. The condemnor’s appraiser valued the taking at $194,000. The jury awarded about $380,000 meaning that the jury awarded twice the amount of the condemnor’s appraisal.

 3 day jury trial in LaCrosse. It was a 400 acre agricultural property with a house and several outbuildings. The condemning authority took about 2.5 acres for a road project. The condemning authority’s appraiser valued the taking at about $18,000. The jury ended up awarding more than $65,000 or more than 3x the appraisal amount.

3 day jury trial in Shawano County. The appraisers hired by the utility company valued the high voltage transmission line easement at $18,000 and $26,000. The jury awarded the landowner $70,000 or 3-4X the amount of the utility companies’ experts.