Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/274/341/
Timestamp: 2019-04-19 00:52:37+00:00

Document:
1. A claim for just compensation for the use of property taken by the government is "founded upon the Constitution," within the meaning of Jud.Code, § 145. P. 274 U. S. 343.
2. A claim for just compensation for property taken for public use by officers or agents of the United States pursuant to an Act of Congress is a claim founded upon an implied contract. Jud.Code, § 145. P. 274 U. S. 343.
3. Where the use of private property is taken by eminent domain and paid for later, the owner is entitled to the value at the time of taking and such additional amount that the whole ay be equivalent to the value of such use at the time of the taking paid contemporaneously with the taking. P. 274 U. S. 344.
4. Such additional allowance may be measured by a reasonable rate of interest, but is not properly interest, and is not within the prohibition of interest before judgment found in Jud.Code, § 177. P. 274 U. S. 344.
Certiorari (273 U.S. 678) to a judgment of the Court of Claims allowing a recovery of less than the amount claimed as the balance due for the value of the use of a wharf, on which petitioners had a lease, and which was taken over for military purpose during the late war.
$44,733.79 on account. They sued to recover an amount sufficient to make up just compensation. The court found the value per day of the use of their property; the amount calculated on that basis was $254,175.79 over and above the sums paid, and that amount was included in the judgment entered March 8, 1926. Petitioner was granted a writ of certiorari. 273 U. S. 67.
"all claims (except for pensions) founded upon the Constitution of the United States or . . . upon any contract, express or implied, with the government of the United States. . . ."
of action considered in United States v. North American Co., 253 U. S. 330, and a taking under the power of eminent domain was pointed out in Seaboard Air Line Ry. v. United States, 261 U. S. 299. Plaintiffs' property was taken before its value was ascertained or paid. Judgment in 1926 for the value of the use of the property in 1918 and 1919, without more, is not sufficient to constitute just compensation. Section 177 does not prohibit the inclusion of the additional amount for which petitioner contends. It is not a claim for interest within the purpose or intention of that section. Acts of Congress are to be construed and applied in harmony with, and not to thwart, the purpose of the Constitution. The government's obligation is to put the owners in as good position pecuniarily as if the use of their property had not been taken. They are entitled to have the full equivalent of the value of such use at the time of the taking paid contemporaneously with the taking. As such payment has not been made, petitioner is entitled to the additional amount claimed. Seaboard Air Line Ry. v. United States, supra, 261 U. S. 304; Brooks-Scanlon Corp. v. United States, 265 U. S. 106, 265 U. S. 123; Liggett & Myers Tobacco Co. v. United States, ante, p. 274 U. S. 215.

References: § 145
 § 145
 § 177
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