GOLDMAN & BRAUNSTEIN, LLP, joined the law firm of Crabbe, Brown & James, as of-counsel, in April 2004.
Eminent Domain (condemnation) is defined as the power of the government or other condemning authority to take private property for public use. In the United States, the power of eminent domain is founded in both the federal (Fifth Amend.) and state constitutions (The Ohio Constitution, Article I §19). However, the Constitution limits the power to taking property for a public purpose and prohibits the exercise of the power of eminent domain without providing just compensation.
William Goldman and Michael Braunstein have specialized in eminent domain, zoning, and land use issues throughout their professional careers. They continually represent property owners in Franklin County and surrounding counties whose property is being threatened by eminent domain in obtaining just compensation for those land owners for their land and for damage to the residual land or land not taken.
Mr. Goldman is a Member of the Veterans Memorial Board of Trustees and Chairman of the Management Committee. He was appointed by Mayor Michael B. Coleman to sit as a Member of the Columbus Zoo Board. Mr. Goldman is also a Member of Strathmore's Who's Who and National Registry's Who's Who in the filed of Eminent Domain and also a Member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
Mr. Braunstein is a Professor of Law at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in addition to his legal practice specializing in eminent domain. Mr. Braunstein has authored many books and articles on land-use law and is currently writing a treatise on Eminent Domain and Regulatory Takings in Ohio. Mr. Braunstein is also co-chairman of the Third Annual Eminent Domain Conference in Cincinnati.
Past clients have included representing the landowners whose property was being taken by eminent domain for the construction of the Columbus hockey arena. The condemning authority offered the landowners $3.5 million for the property taken and they successfully obtained a jury verdict of $8 million. Goldman & Braunstein represented the landowners in an eminent domain lawsuit where the condemning authority offered $3.8 million for the property owner's land for the expansion of the Columbus Municipal Airport's parking lot, and they successfully obtained a jury verdict for the client for the amount of $13 million. They have represented property owners involved in the expansion of Diley Road and U.S. 33 in Canal Winchester, Ohio, the construction of Britton Parkway and Cemetery Road in Hilliard, Ohio, and the widening of Lane Avenue in Columbus.
They currently represent numerous property owners affected by the Ohio Department of Transportation's expansion of S.R. 161, in Licking County, Ohio, as well as owners affected by the City of Pickerington's expansion of the Bixby Road/U.S. 33 interchange; owners affected by the City of Pickerington's expansion of Diley Road in Fairfield County, owners affected by the City of Delaware's expansion of Sunbury Road; owners affected by the City of HIlliard's expansion of Hilliard Rome Road; owners affected by the City of Dublin's expansion of Avery Road, and numerous others.
Goldman & Braunstein pride themselves on upholding the Constitutional rights of the citizens of the United States in obtaining the just compensation the landowner deserves.
