Land In Path Of Bypass -- Owners Awarded More Than Twice DOT Deposit -- $494,000

Brief Statement of Claim: The North Carolina Department of Transportation took 37.19 acres out of a tract of 229.76 acres owned by the defendants. The property was located in the path of the new Highway 17 bypass around Elizabeth City. NCDOT deposited $208,400 for the land taken (its estimate of just compensation). The defendants said that was inadequate compensation.

Principal Injuries (in order of severity): Inadequate compensation for land taken

Special Damages: None

Tried or settled: Tried before jury

County where tried or settled: Pasquotank

Case Name and number: DOT v. Isaac Lemuel Harris and wife, Earlene Harris

Date Concluded: Verdict on April 7, 1999; trial lasted from April 5 to April 7.

Name of Judge: Frank Brown

Amount: Verdict was $494,000

Insurance Carrier: n/a

Expert Witnesses and areas of expertise: For plaintiffs: Bobby Heath, appraiser; Dexter Moore, appraiser; C.P. Shaw, appraiser; for defendants: Sean Robey, engineer; David Joyner, appraiser, Bruce Sauter, appraiser

Attorneys for defendants: Lloyd C. Smith Jr. and Jonathan E. Huddleston of Pritchett & Burch, PLLC, Windsor

Other Useful Info: The verdict was 2.4 times DOT's estimate.