News Detail
Pennington shareholder discusses recent eminent domain law changes
(04/15/2009, Pennington News Release )
Pennington, Moore, Wilkinson, Bell & Dunbar shareholder, Susan K. Spurgeon serves as an expert panelist at ABA's This Land is Whose Land? Teleconference
TALLAHASSEE The 2005 Supreme Court case, Kelo v. City of New London, caused some major changes in eminent domain law. The ruling allowed the city to acquire land for economic revitalization, which is not a public purpose in the way that is has traditionally been thought of.
Susan K. Spurgeon shed some light on this issue during the American Bar Association's This Land is Whose Land teleconference today. Spurgeon was joined by Steven J. Eagle, Professor of Law at George Mason University School of Law, Dana Berliner, Senior Attorney for the Institute of Justice and David L. Callies, Benjamin A. Kudo Professor of Law at the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law.
The panel discussed the background of the Kelo decision. They also addressed topics such as: whether there has been a fundamental shift in how localities, states, and the federal government perceive their eminent domain powers, the effectiveness of new state and federal laws and regulations designed to limit the use of eminent domain for redevelopment and trends in eminent domain law.
Ms. Spurgeon is an experienced litigator in a wide range of real property issues and eminent domain as well as administrative litigation of environmental permitting and enforcement issues. She has served as outside counsel handling eminent domain issues for Tampa Bay Water, Citrus County, Lake County, the South Florida Water Management District and the City of Tampa as well as numerous private property owners.