Representative Cases

DISCLAIMER: THE CASES AND RESULTS DESCRIBED HEREIN ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF PAST RESULTS OBTAINED BY MILLER, MILLER & CANBY, AND ITS ATTORNEYS. PAST CASE RESULTS DO NOT GUARANTEE FUTURE RESULTS. ALL CASES ARE DISTINCT AND HAVE UNIQUE FACTS, CIRCUMSTANCES AND LEGAL QUESTIONS THAT MUST BE CONSIDERED AND EVALUATED ON THEIR OWN MERIT.

Before
Urban Renewal / Blight Remediation
After

Urban Renewal / Blight Remediation

Baltimore City, MD

  • Initial Offer:
  • $18,000
  • Final Award:
  • $37,500

Baltimore City acquired a vacant rowhouse that the owner planned to renovate into rental units. The City refused to negotiate despite the owner having purchased the property for more than the City’s appraised value. Prepared property owner for deposition and articulation of a credible property valuation. Successfully argued during three-day jury trial that the property was worth more than twice the City’s appraisal without hiring an expert witness. Argued post-trial for the reduction of City liens on the property.

Before
After

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) & Pedestrian / Bike Path

Montgomery County, MD

  • Initial Offer:
  • $37,000
  • Final Award:
  • $73,000

Montgomery County acquired temporary and perpetual easements over a residential property for the construction of the Veirs Mill Road Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. Successfully negotiated a two-fold increase in compensation by persuading the County to pay for the loss of an off-street parking space and to fairly compensate for front yard landscape features.

Before
Road Widening
After

Road Widening

Montgomery County, MD

  • Initial Offer:
  • $970,000
  • Final Award:
  • $1,168,000

State Highway acquired 5,349 SF in fee, 6,386 SF in perpetual aerial easements, and 5,269 SF temporary construction easement of Church property along Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring. Successfully negotiated a settlement after convincing the State the aerial easement would substantially diminish the Church’s ability to redevelop the property after the taking.

Before
After

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) & Pedestrian / Bike

Montgomery County, MD

  • Initial Offer:
  • $52,500
  • Final Award:
  • $210,000

Montgomery County acquired temporary and perpetual easements over rental home for construction of the Veirs Mill Road Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. Successfully negotiated the four-fold increase in compensation after convincing the County to value the property based upon a pending upzoning and persuading the County to compensate for the project’s imposition of a slope in the side yard.

Before
After

Airport Expansion

Carroll County, MD

  • Initial Offer:
  • $425,000
  • Final Award:
  • $3,500,000

Carroll County acquired an aerial easement over an 80-acre farm and house for expansion of the regional airport. With co-counsel, successfully argued during four-day jury trial that the airport project – with bigger planes, flying lower, directly over the house – made the custom-built family home nearly worthless. Trial success due to frequent client meetings, detailed document review, qualified expert witnesses, meritorious legal motions, and thorough trial preparation.

Road Widening
Before
After

Road Widening

Cecil County, MD

  • Initial Offer:
  • $13,100
  • Final Award:
  • $66,500 plus landscaping

Cecil County acquired temporary and perpetual easements for a road widening project to support increased truck traffic. Successfully negotiated a five-fold increase in compensation, including obtaining payments for impact to the property’s driveway and water well, as well as a robust landscaping plan to screen the road from the family home.