Atlanta Drops Eminent Domain Battle

February 08, 2007 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

by Timothy Sandefur

Business Week has a great story about an eminent domain victory in the Atlanta suburb of Stockbridge. Excerpt:

After officials in the suburban Atlanta city of Stockbridge tried to condemn the Meeks' tiny flower shop and supplant it with a town center, the couple spent two years and more than $200,000 fighting the move in court.

Their battle became a symbol of Georgia's budding movement to rein in the government's power to seize property. And this week, the owners could finally claim victory: The city said it is dropping its battle to condemn Stockbridge Florist and Gifts.

"Everyone was saying, 'You can't fight City Hall. You can't do this. The government's going to win every time,'" Mark Meeks said. "But it felt like we were right all along — and we stuck to our guns. And then the judicial system bore it out."

(Read more…)

Congratulations to Mark and Regina Meeks for fighting for the defense of their fundamental rights!