The laws for legal costs in eminent domain cases vary from state to state. In some cases, if the property owner can show in court that the property is not being taken for public use — or if the government entity abandons the project during a case — the court might award the owner court costs and legal fees.
In cases where the owner is only arguing for just compensation and not against the government’s right to take their property, courts in many states will allow the recovery of court costs. It’s important to understand each state’s laws as they pertain to recovering legal costs in eminent domain cases.