NOVEMBER 2022 | 39 THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL the property into the courtroom. There are numerous options for demonstrative exhibits in eminent domain cases. Some common types of exhibits are ground and aerial photography. As technology advances, eminent domain cases are consistently on the forefront of that technology. Today, it is common to see overlaid construction of right-of-way or construction plans on aerial photos, videos of the property, videos of cars traveling up and down the highway, Google Earth drives, aerial flights and drone flights of the property or highway project. Closing arguments are your last opportunity to lay your case out to the jury. It is important though to have a precise plan and not just regurgitate your entire case to the jury. Focus on the strengths of your case and key points your experts made throughout the trial. Use a key exhibit to illustrate these points. If opposing experts made mistakes, highlight these mistakes and ask the jury why they were made. At the end of your closing, make sure to thank the jury for their service and ask for a specific verdict. CONCLUSION As you can see, eminent domain practice is a highly detailed and specific area of law. There are many intricacies the attorney must be aware of, or their client could be harmed or precluded from challenging the eminent domain case. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Nick Atwood is a partner at the law firm of Ritchie Rock & Atwood. Mr. Atwood has extensive experience in all aspects of eminent domain law representing clients across the state of Oklahoma. ENDNOTES 1. 2 Samuel 24: 20-24. 2. U.S. Const. Fifth Amendment. 3. Okla. Const. Art. II §24. 4. City of Pryor Creek v. Pub. Serv. Co., 1975 OK 81, ¶8, 536 P.2d 243. 5. Kelo v. City of New London, 545 U.S. 469, 125 S. Ct. 2655, 2671 (2005) (O’Connor, J., dissenting) (alteration in original) (quoting 1 Records of the Federal Convention of 1787, p. 302 (M. Farrand ed., 1934)). 6. Bd. of Co. Comm’rs of Muskogee Co. v. Lowery, 2006 OK 31, ¶10, 136 P.3d 639 (quoting Albert H. Ellis, A History of the Constitutional Convention of the State of Oklahoma, p. iv (Introduction and Endorsement by William H. Murray, president of the Constitutional Convention) (1923)). 7. City of Pryor Creek at ¶9. 8. Oklahoma Turnpike Authority v. Dye, 1953 OK 109, ¶9, 256 P.2d 438; McCrady v. Western Farmers Electric Co-operative, 1958 OK 43, ¶3, 323 P.2d 356; Graham v. City of Duncan, 1960 OK 149, ¶16, 354 P.2d, 458; Gaylord v. State ex rel. Dept. of Highways, 1975 OK 63, ¶16, 540 P.2d 558. 9. City of Tahlequah v. Lake Region Elec., Co-op, Inc., 2002 OK 2, ¶7, 47 P.3d 467; Drabek v. City of Norman, 1996 OK 126, ¶8, 946 P.2d 658. 10. City of Cushing v. Gillespie, 1953 OK 121, ¶0, 256 P.2d 418. 11. Stinchcomb v. Oklahoma City, 1921 OK 154, ¶0, 198 P. 508. 12. Allen v. Transok Pipe Line Co., 1976 OK 53, ¶12, 552 P.2d 375. 13. Okla. Const. Art. II §24. 14. Public Service Co. of Oklahoma v. B. Willis, 1997 OK 78, ¶16, 941 P.2d 995. 15. Okla. Stat. Tit. 27 §13. 16. Id. 17. Id. 18. State ex rel. Depart. Of Transp. v. Metcalf, 2013 OK CIV APP 28, 298 P.3d 550. 19. Id at ¶20. 20. Bd. of County Comm’rs of Creek County v. Casteel, 1974 OK 31, ¶15, 522 P.2d 608. 21. Rummage v. State ex rel. Dep’t of Transp., 1993 OK CIV APP 39, ¶18, 849 P.2d 1109. 22. Okla. Stat. Tit. 66 §53; Okla. Stat. Tit. 69 §1203; Okla. Stat. Tit. 69 §1708. 23. Id. 24. Id. 25. Town of Ames v. Wybrandt, 1950 OK 197, 220 P.2d 693. 26. Okla. Stat. Tit. 66 §53(C); Okla. Stat. Tit. 69 §1203(c); and Okla. Stat. Tit. 69 §1708(b)(1); Public Serv. Co. of Okla. v. B. Willis, C.P.A., Inc., 1997 OK 78, ¶18, 941 P.2d 995. 27. Grand River Dam Authority v. Gray, 1943 OK 219, 138 P.2d 100. 28. Okla. Stat. Tit. 66 §55(A); Okla. Stat. Tit. 69 §1203(e)(1); and Okla. Stat. Tit. 69 §1708. 29. Id. 30. Okla. Const. Art. II §24; Okla. Stat. Tit. 65 §55; Okla. Stat. Tit. 69 §1203; Okla. Stat. Tit. 69 §1708. 31. Id. 32. Bd. of Co. Com’rs of Creek Co. v. Casteel, 1974 OK 31, ¶16, 522 P.2d 608; Blankenship v. Bone, 1974 OK CIV APP 54, ¶6, 530 P.2d 578. 33. Id. 34. State Dep’t of Highways v. O’Dea, 1976 OK 133, 555 P.2d 587; State ex rel. Dep’t of Transp. v. Post, 2005 OK 69, 125 P.3d 1183. 35. Okla. Stat. Tit. 66 §54. 36. Perkins Whistlestop, Inc. v. State, 1998 OK CIV APP 7, ¶6, 954 P.2d 1251 (citing Grand River Dam Auth. v. Gray, 1943 OK 219, 138 P.2d 100). 37. Okla. Stat. Tit. 66 §55; Okla. Stat. Tit. 69 §1203; Okla. Stat. Tit. 69 §1708. 38. Bd. of County Comm’rs of Creek County v. Casteel, 1974 OK 31, 522 P.2d 608. 39. Id at ¶16. 40. Blankenship v. Bone, 1974 OK CIV APP 54, ¶6, 530 P.2d 578. 41. Okla. Stat. Tit. 66 §55; Okla. Stat. Tit. 69 §1203; Okla. Stat. Tit. 69 §1708. 42. Delfeld v. City of Tulsa, 1942 OK 402, 131 P.2d 754; Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co. v. Beecher, 2011 OK CIV APP 233, Public Serv. Co. of Okla. v. B. Willis, 1997 OK 78, 941 P.2d 754; Rueb v. Oklahoma City, 1967 OK 233, 435 P.2d 139; and Bush v. Oklahoma City, 1944 OK 302, 154 P.2d 960. 43. Id. 44. Id. 45. Public Serv. Co. of Okla. v. B. Willis, 1997 OK 78, 941 P.2d 754. 46. Id at ¶18. 47. Id. 48. Arthur v. Bd. of Comm’rs, 1914 OK 181, ¶9, 141 P. 1. 49. Public Serv. Co. of Okla. v. B. Willis, 1997 OK 78, 941 P.2d 754. 50. City of Tulsa v. Williams, 1924 OK 136, 227 P. 876; McCrady v. Western Farmers Electric Cooperative, 1958 OK 43, 323 P.2d 356; Luccock v. City of Norman, 1978 OK 66, 578 P.2d 1204. 51. Public Serv. Co. of Okla. v. B. Willis, 1997 OK 78, ¶20, 947 P.2d 955, (citing Rueb v. Oklahoma City, 1967 OK 233, 435 P.2d 139; Luccock v. City of Norman, 1978 OK 66, 578 P.2d 1204). 52. Id. 53. State Dep’t of Highways v. O’Dea, 1976 OK 133, 555 P.2d 587; State ex rel. Dep’t of Transp. v. Post, 2005 OK 69, 125 P.3d 1183. 54. Okla. Stat. Tit. 66 §55; Okla. Stat. Tit. 69 §1203; Okla. Stat. Tit. 69 §1708. 55. Okla. Stat. Tit. 66 §54. 56. Perkins Whistlestop, Inc. v. State, 1998 OK CIV APP 7, ¶6, 954 P.2d 1251 (citing Grand River Dam Auth. v. Gray, 1943 OK 219, 138 P.2d 100). 57. State ex rel. Dep’t. of Transp. v. Little, 2004 OK 74, 100 P.3d 707. 58. Eberle v. State of Oklahoma ex rel. Dept. of Highways, 1963 OK 224, ¶14, 385 P.2d 868. 59. Oklahoma Uniform Civil Jury Instructions 25.5. 60. Okla. Stat. Tit. 59 §858-713. 61. Appraisal Institute, “AI Designations,” www.appraisalinstitute.org/our-designations. 62. Id. 63. Oklahoma Transportation Authority v. Turner, 2008 OK CIV APP 31, 183 P.3d 168.
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