County of Wayne V Hathcock

LEGAL BRIEF #1

05/03/12

COUNTY OF WAYNE, Plantiff-Apellee, v.

EDWARD HATHCOCK, Defendant-Appellant,

AARON T. SPECK and DONALD E. SPECK, individuals, Defendant-Appellants,

AUBINS SERVICE, INC., DAVID R. YORK, Trustee, David R. York Revocable Living Trust, Defendant-Appellant,

JEFFERY J. KOMISAR, Defendant-Appellant,

ROBERT WARD and LELA WARD, Defendant-Appellants,

HENRY Y. COOLEY, Defendant,

MRS. JAMES GRIZZLE and MICHAEL A. BALDWIN, Defendant-Appellants,

RAMIE FAKHOURY, Defendant,

STEPHANIE A KOMISAR, Defendant-Appellant,

THOMAS L. GOFF, NORMA GOFF, MARK A. BAKER, JK., and KATHLEEN A. BARKER, Defendant-Appellants,

VINCENT FINAZZO, Defendant-Appellant,

AUBREY L. GREGORY and DULCINA GREGORY, Defendants.

No. 124070, No. 124071, No. 124072, No. 124073, No. 124074, No. 124075, No. 124076, No. 124077, No. 124078

SUPREME COURT OF MICHIGAN

471 Mich. 44: 684 N.W.2d 765; 2004 Mich.

July 30, 2004, Decided.

FACTS OF THE CASE:

Wayne County attempted to condemn and acquire land owned by private citizens using the power of eminent domain for economic development purposes. Wayne County would acquire the properties on the basis of a “public use”. Under real property Law Mich. Comp. Laws § 213.23, a condemnation must be necessary for one of three ends:

* A public improvement

* The purposes to be advanced by the public corporation or state agency’s incorporation

* For public purposes within the scope of the corporation’s or agency’s powers

Additionally, a proposed condemnation must be for the use or benefit of the public.

The Wayne Circuit Court and the Court of Appeals based on the Poletown Neighbourhood Council v Detroit. 410 Mich. 616; 304 N.W.2d 455 (1981) found that Wayne County was allowed to condemn the property under Mich. Comp. Laws § 213.23 because it served as a “public use”. The Defendants’ believe this condemnation did not constitute as a “public use” identified in Art X § 2of the 1963 Michigan Constitution.

The...