New Author in Town - All You Wanted to Learn About Condemnation

And, not the eternal damnation kind of condemnation either.  We are proud to announce the publication of Eminent Domain - A Handbook of Condemnation Law (ABA 2011).

The American Bar Association's Section of State & Local Government Law has just published a new book on eminent domain fundamentals: Eminent Domain - A Handbook of Condemnation Law (available for preorder here).

I was asked to author a chapter on Damages with Christi-Anne Kudo Chock.  Robert Thomas wrote two chapters on prelitigation process and flooding too.   

The price is $89.95 with the price of $69.95 for members of the Section of State and Local Government Law (discounts on books and CLE: another good reason to join the Section). There are also discounts for purchase of multiple copies. More details here.

From the Introduction by Dan Dalton:

Eminent domain has a long and distinguished legal history, dating from the first limits on sovereign power in the Magna Carta. Just compensation is a newer concept, and court decisions such as Kelo v. New London make the exercise of eminent domain controversial. Can government condemn property to increase its tax base? Can the state transfer property from one private owner to another for incidental public benefit, and does this constitute "public use"? While eminent domain traditionally was used to acquire property for roads, waterways, defense installations, government and public buildings, and the interstate highway system, it has recently been a favored tool in developing urban areas, creating shopping malls, and building big-box retail stores. Eminent Domain: A Handbook of Condemnation Law is written by leaders in the field and will introduce general practitioners working for condemnors and property owners alike to the many intricacies of condemnation practice.

The Table of Contents is available here.  This book is a must for the occasional condemnation practitioner.

Final Hawaii connection?  Professor David Callies of the University of Hawaii Law School is Editor. 

On a lighter note, ask me how it feels to author something for a book?