partner Marie D. Harlan has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America 2024© in Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch for Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law. Harlan is also recognized for her work in Commercial Litigation. Best...
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Texas Eminent Domain Law Blog
McFarland Welcomes Attorney Clarissa Levingston
HOUSTON - Aug. 1, 2023 - McFarland PLLC announces the addition of Clarissa Levingston to the team as a condemnation attorney in the firm’s Houston office. Levingston joins McFarland with experience gained as an associate with a general litigation firm. She also served...
Why an appraisal may be key when responding to condemnation
Condemnation is the legal process through which the state forces the sale of a property because of an eminent domain claim. In Texas, it's possible for local or state authorities to begin the condemnation process if someone refuses to voluntarily sell their real...
What to Know if You Own a Business Along the I-45 Expansion
More than 7,000 TxDOT projects are currently active or expected to begin this year with about $12.4 billion (with a “B”) in state infrastructure spending earmarked for Houston. We’ve been hearing from landowners and businesses located along I-45 with fears of...
Do Texas churches have special protection from eminent domain?
Faith-based congregations might set aside donations from church members and local businesses for many months to save enough money to purchase real property. It may even take years to move into a church-owned space. Having a facility owned by the church opens up many...
What should owners tell officials or appraisers in re: condemnations?
The condemnation process allows Texas state authorities to force the sale of real property even if the owner would prefer not to sell. Projects intended for public benefits that require land may lead to eminent domain claims against nearby properties, including...
How does condemnation impact the value of real property?
In Texas, state authorities can use eminent domain laws to lay claim to privately-owned real property. The state can condemn agricultural, commercial, industrial and residential properties for projects that will benefit the public, such as utility projects and highway...
How homeowners can respond to condemnation for highway projects
The Texas economy keeps growing, and so the state’s roads have to expand as well. In addition to adding new miles of paved streets, Texas has also made major investments in expanding its existing highway infrastructure. Such expansions take years and cost millions,...
Charles McFarland Named to 2022 List of Texas Super Lawyers
Charles McFarland has been named to the 2022 list of Texas Super Lawyers in his sole area of practice, Eminent Domain. He was additionally recognized again as a Top 100 Lawyer in Houston. Board certified in Civil Trial Law, Charles has focused on statutory...
Massive road investments in Texas could affect property owners
Texas is a huge state with a lot of roads to maintain that service everything from personal vehicles to oil tankers transporting crude. The ever-growing domestic economy in Texas also means that there is increasing pressure on the established roadways. Lawmakers...