Former NCDOT Attorney Hosts Seminar for Property Owners Impacted by I-85 Widening

News provided by

NC Eminent Domain Law Firm

Oct 31, 2016, 03:00 ET


Charlotte, NC (PRWEB) October 31, 2016 -- More than 45 Rowan County property owners will lose land soon when the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) widens a six-mile stretch of I-85 between Kannapolis and China Grove, according to NCDOT documents the NC Eminent Domain Law Firm has obtained. Documents show these properties are currently in the acquisition process.

NC Eminent Domain Law Firm attorney Stan Abrams (who previously represented the NCDOT) will host a public educational seminar for property owners along the path of the I-85 widening on Thursday, November 3 at the Salisbury Courtyard Marriott. It is free and open to the public.

Former NCDOT Attorney to Share Negotiation Strategies

At the seminar, Abrams will share what he saw while working for the NCDOT.

“The harms caused to property owners, by road widenings in particular, have historically been minimized by the NCDOT,” said Abrams. “Property owners have a right to know that sometimes these damages can end up being more extensive than they imagined.”

He will also explain how he and attorney Jason Campbell, who also represented the NCDOT before joining the NC Eminent Domain Law Firm, use their NCDOT background to try to get a fair offer for property owners, and demonstrate some of the strategies they have used in negotiations, including how and when to negotiate with the NCDOT.

“Any day now, property owners will begin receiving very official looking offers and think they are non-negotiable.” Abrams said. “They certainly are negotiable. But a lot of property owners go astray in the negotiation process, simply because there are so many eminent domain ambiguities and loopholes that they are unaware of.”

One example of this, according to the law firm, is with the condemnation deposit. A condemnation deposit is a check made out to the property owner that, by law, the NCDOT must deposit with the courts on the property owner’s behalf. Many property owners simply accept this check. Yet, a 2015 study by the North Carolina legislature showed that property owners who did not accept the NCDOT’s condemnation deposit ended up getting 85% more for their property, on average.*

I-85 Widening Right-of-Way Seminar Topics

“The NCDOT is taking steps to acquire properties right now,” Campbell said. “We want property owners to know enough about the eminent domain process and their rights to be able to ask the essential questions that could help them avoid common pitfalls like not fully understanding what the NCDOT is really taking and other tricky situations.”

Seminar topics will include:

Rowan County Property Owners in the Way of I-85 Widening

A wider highway along this stretch of I-85 is anticipated to provide a more efficient and expedient route for travelers. Yet, Campbell said, "The toll on property and business owners who suffer property loss can sometimes be devastating. The state has earmarked more than $16 million for these properties, and owners should be fairly compensated for land they are being forced to turn over to the state.”

Land Taking Seminar Date, Time, Location

Date: Thursday, November 3rd
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Salisbury Courtyard Marriott
            120 Marriott Circle
            Salisbury, NC 28114

For more information about the meeting, please call the NC Eminent Domain Law Firm at 1-877-393-4990.

*Source: NC Legislature (2015), House Bill 127: DOT Condemnation Changes – Fiscal Analysis Memorandum (Section 2). Fiscal Research Division.

About The NC Eminent Domain Law Firm:
A division of the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, the NC Eminent Domain Law Firm is dedicated solely to representing property owners throughout North Carolina, who may be impacted by eminent domain law. The NC Eminent Domain Law Firm is led by attorneys Stan Abrams and Jason Campbell, both of whom previously worked as Assistant Attorneys General for the North Carolina Department of Justice in the Transportation Section, where they litigated condemnation cases for the NCDOT. They have over 25 years of combined experience working exclusively on eminent domain cases. The Law Offices of James Scott Farrin has the legal resources of 37 attorneys and is based in Durham, North Carolina, with offices throughout the state to serve its clients.

Contact Information:
Stan Abrams
1-877-393-4990
NC Eminent Domain Law Firm
201 McCullough Drive, Suite 220
Charlotte, NC 28262

Stan Abrams, NC Eminent Domain Law Firm, http://www.nc-eminent-domain.com, +1 1-866-900-7078, [email protected]