Court Opinion

ID: 9677117
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 05:43:55.859682+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:16:53.962765
License: Public Domain

WHITAKER, Judge
(concurring).
The Constitution provides for the payment of just compensation to an owner whose property is taken either absolutely or for use. The Merchant Marine Act also provides for the payment of just compensation, but it says that where property is taken for use, the parties may enter into a charter agreement, which, if entered into, will govern the rights of the parties. In this case the parties did enter into a charter agreement.
But the majority opinion says that this agreement did not cover the situation with which we are presented in this case. But whether it does or not, the fundamental obligation of the Government is to pay just compensation to the owner whose property is taken. If the agreement does cover the situation presented, it ought to be construed to arrive at this result, if possible.
I am in doubt whether the charter agreement can be properly construed to arrive at this result. As the majority opinion says, it seems to me it simply does not cover the case presented to us. If it does not, I think we must then fall back upon the Government’s- primary obligation to pay just compensation. The purpose of the charter was to agree in advance on what was just compensation, or on the formula for ascertaining it. By it they sought to provide the means for determining just compensation in all circumstances, but they overlooked the circumstance presented in this case. Having overlooked it, the charter gives us no guide, and, so, we must determine just compensation in this case without regard to it.
Just compensation, in my opinion, is what the majority opinion says it is.