When you get that letter from a governmental agency notifying you of their intention to condemn your property, you need to seek an eminent domain attorney promptly. The mention of condemnation law as a property owner will definitely scare you and the decisions you make might not be well-thought out. This is where an attorney comes in handy to ensure you are cognizant of every decision you make.
Under the Fifth Amendment, there are condemning authorities who can take your property for the larger public good. This is all what Effective Domain is about. However, the same constitution in Article 5 clearly indicates that you cannot be deprived off your private property without just compensation.
Indeed, your eminent domain attorney will tell you that the same Act of 1971 also provides for fair and just compensation. However, is this always so in your state? Most likely, you have come across property owners grumbling over unfair compensation and your attorney will help you avoid this pitfall.
Due to the intricacies involved in this field of law, it might not be possible to learn everything in good time hence your effective domain lawyer will chip in. This should be a professional who has handled effective domain and condemnation laws in your state for a long time. Using experience gathered in this field, the eminent domain attorney will help you get not only fair settlement but also an expedited settlement.
Now that you understand the indispensable role of an attorney in your case, consider too the factors to use in hiring. In addition to experience, you also need to consider specialization. You might have a good real estate lawyer for your firm but if they have not handled effective domain and condemnation cases, they will not bring much to the table.
In order to get a dependable eminent domain attorney you also need to ask for referrals from other property owners. If a lawyer has acted professionally and successfully for other clients, they will still be committed and diligent in your case to maintain their reputation. It is also important to ask for a lawyer’s portfolio before hiring in order to check the rate of success in these kinds of cases.
As you research and attend initial consultations you must assess any conflict of interest in terms of the potential attorney’s clients. If they have been representing condemning authorities, it is advisable to look for another attorney. The lawyer you use must not only be honest and straightforward but must be ready to commit resources and time to your case until you win.
With this guide on the importance of an eminent domain attorney and how to select them, you can now sit back and relax as the experts do what they are best at; getting justice for you.
However bleak your case looks like, there are legal redresses your attorney can use to get you justice.
