Eminent Domain
GOLDMAN & BRAUNSTEIN, LLP, joined the law firm
of Crabbe, Brown & James, as of-counsel, in April 2004.
Eminent Domain (condemnation) is defined as the power of the government or other
condemning authority to take private property for public use. In the United
States, the power of eminent domain is founded in both the federal (Fifth Amend.)
and state constitutions (The Ohio Constitution, Article I §19). However,
the Constitution limits the power to taking property for a public purpose and
prohibits the exercise of the power of eminent domain without providing just
compensation.
William Goldman and Michael Braunstein have specialized in eminent domain, zoning,
and land use issues throughout their professional careers. They continually
represent property owners in Franklin County and surrounding counties whose
property is being threatened by eminent domain in obtaining just compensation
for those land owners for their land and for damage to the residual land or
land not taken.
Mr. Goldman is a Member of the Veterans Memorial Board of Trustees and Chairman
of the Management Committee. He was appointed by Mayor Michael B. Coleman to
sit as a Member of the Columbus Zoo Board. Mr. Goldman is also a Member of Strathmore's
Who's Who and National Registry's Who's Who in the filed of Eminent Domain and
also a Member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
Mr. Braunstein is a Professor of Law at The Ohio State University Moritz College
of Law in addition to his legal practice specializing in eminent domain. Mr.
Braunstein has authored many books and articles on land-use law and is currently
writing a treatise on Eminent Domain and Regulatory Takings in Ohio. Mr. Braunstein
is also co-chairman of the Third Annual Eminent Domain Conference in Cincinnati.
Past clients have included representing the landowners whose property was being
taken by eminent domain for the construction of the Columbus hockey arena. The
condemning authority offered the landowners $3.5 million for the property taken
and they successfully obtained a jury verdict of $8 million. Goldman & Braunstein
represented the landowners in an eminent domain lawsuit where the condemning
authority offered $3.8 million for the property owner's land for the expansion
of the Columbus Municipal Airport's parking lot, and they successfully obtained
a jury verdict for the client for the amount of $13 million. They have represented
property owners involved in the expansion of Diley Road and U.S. 33 in Canal
Winchester, Ohio, the construction of Britton Parkway and Cemetery Road in Hilliard,
Ohio, and the widening of Lane Avenue in Columbus.
They currently represent numerous property owners affected by the Ohio Department
of Transportation's expansion of S.R. 161, in Licking County, Ohio, as well
as owners affected by the City of Pickerington's expansion of the Bixby Road/U.S.
33 interchange; owners affected by the City of Pickerington's expansion of Diley
Road in Fairfield County, owners affected by the City of Delaware's expansion
of Sunbury Road; owners affected by the City of HIlliard's expansion of Hilliard
Rome Road; owners affected by the City of Dublin's expansion of Avery Road,
and numerous others.
Goldman & Braunstein pride themselves on upholding the Constitutional rights
of the citizens of the United States in obtaining the just compensation the
landowner deserves.