One of the basic understandings of the American dream is having a house and land. What if the government then came along and tried to take your land? If you own land, you need to know your rights when it pertains to eminent domain. This is happening across the nation.

Eminent domain has roots based on the Fifth Amendment, and grants the government the rights to seize private property without the owner's consent — with two main points: as long as the government provides just compensation and has claims for public use, it is permissible.

You might ask “what is just compensation?" If your land has been targeted for an eminent domain case, you’ll likely receive a notice of intent by mail. You then may be appraised on the size and value of your land and be given a purchase offer based on that appraised value.

Knowing your rights includes getting appropriate legal counsel who can help negotiate your terms. Check the following visual deep dive on eminent domain below:

Infographic courtesy Dallas & Turner, PLLC