The government's power to take private property for public use, provided the owner receives just compensation. This authority is limited to legitimate public purposes like roads, schools, or utilities.
From Latin 'dominium eminens' meaning 'supreme lordship.' The concept traces to Roman law and medieval feudalism where the sovereign held ultimate title to all land. The phrase entered English legal usage in the 17th century.
Eminent domain is the government's ultimate 'mine' card in the property game - but the Fifth Amendment's 'just compensation' clause means they have to pay fair market value, making it more like forced selling than confiscation. The controversial part is defining what counts as 'public use' - can taking your house for a shopping mall really serve the public?
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