Vorys Files Amicus Brief with the Supreme Court of The United States on Behalf of Ohio Farm Bureau

A Vorys team, led by Columbus Partner Tom Fusonie, recently filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court of The United States on behalf of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation (OFBF).  The organization requested that the U.S. Supreme Court reconsider a decision made in O'Connor v. Eubanks by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, which the OFBF believes contradicted the U.S. Supreme Court’s findings in Knick v. Twp. Of Scott, another case where OFBF participated as an amicus curiae while seeking to protect farmers with regards to compensation tied to eminent domain.

O’Connor revolves around whether the plaintiff, and farmers more widely, are able to pursue just compensation in federal courts regarding land seized by state agencies and state officers via eminent domain, as provided by the U.S. Supreme Court’s Knick decision.  That decision opened the doors to federal court and gave property owners the ability to seek compensation as a group, in front of one judge for the duration of the case, with entitlement to attorney’s fees.  That option had not been available before to Ohio property owners.

“The Sixth Circuit closed the door to the federal courthouse that this Court just re-opened in Knick,” argued Vorys, noting the financial hardships endured by farmers while their land is occupied and their legal costs mount. 

You can read the full amicus brief here.