Recent Articles

Scottsdale Approves Settlement in Three Condemnation Cases Taken for the Preserve

Dale Zeitlin
August 29, 2008 23:55

The City of Scottsdale approved the settlement of three more condemnation cases, in which I represented the property owners.  The properties were taken for the Sonoran Desert Preserve, and may represent the last few properties that will be condemned by the City for quite a while as the City...

China Could Use The Fifth Amendment To Protect Property Rights

Dale Zeitlin
August 19, 2008 17:11

The Wall Street Journal reported this morning on the imprisonment of a husband and wife who were trying to stop a development company from taking their property without paying just compensation.  The couple was charged with the criminal offense of "obstructing official...

City of Scottdale Pays Largest Condemnation Award in History of Arizona Eminent Domain Trials

Dale Zeitlin
August 18, 2008 17:54

The City of Scottsdale voted to pay the full jury award, plus statutory interest, which amounted to $92,000,000.  The City decided to pay the judgment rather appeal the jury's award. The jury award was the largest award in the history or Arizona trials in eminent domain actions. This was...

Municipality May Attempt to Use Planning Power to Acquire Parking

Dawn Zeitlin
July 02, 2008 20:12

A developer purchased 17 acres of prime Scottsdale land from the Arizona State Land Department at public auction, where the developer was the sole bidder.  The City of Scottsdale, which has publicly declared its need for a portion of the land for additional parking for Pinnacle...

Zeitlin Prevails in Appellate Case Curbing Valuation Abuse

Dawn Zeitlin
March 18, 2008 01:01

The Arizona Court of Appeals ruled on March 7, 2008, that the Arizona statute setting the date of valuation in condemnation cases filed in Arizona is unconstitutional.  Dale Zeitlin successfully argued that where the City of Scottsdale filed a condemnation case in January 2003,...

City considers appeal of condemnation verdict

Dale Zeitlin
February 07, 2008 15:52

The City of Scottsdale is considering whether to appeal the Toll Brothers condemnation verdict of nearly $82,000,000.  The City  needs the property  for its preserve project and has the money to pay the judgment.It is likely that any appeal will cause Toll to file a...

States Stop Condemnation Abuse

Dale Zeitlin
January 31, 2008 18:39

The Wall Street Journal reported that States' legislation that has curtailed the use of condemnation for urban renewal projects has not had any negative economic effect.This is not surprising  to Dale Zeitlin, who represents property owners in condemnation cases, because urban renewal has been...

DC Court orders Secret Agreement Produced

Dale Zeitlin
January 31, 2008 18:15

The DC court ordered that the District of Columbia produce a secret agreement , known as a "Mary Carter Agreement" between the District and one of the property owners in a condemnation of properties for the new baseball stadium in downtown District of Columbia. Dale Zeitlin, who...

Condemnation Award Largest in Arizona

Dale Zeitlin
January 31, 2008 18:11

The  jury, in the condemnation case between the City of Scottsdale and Toll Brothers, awarded Toll nearly $82,000,000 for its property, which the City had taken in 2004.  This is the largest jury verdict in Arizona history in a condemnation case.The jury deliberated for two days before...

Jury Rejects Project Enhancement

Dale Zeitlin
January 31, 2008 17:59

The Jury, in the condemnation case, between the City of Scottsdale and Toll Brothers, rejected the City's attempt to devalue Toll's property.  The City argued that Toll's property, which was taken for a natural preserve, should have a lower value because the City itself had caused the property...