Eminent domain refers to government power to take private property for public use with just compensation; which case addresses it?

• A. Miranda v. Arizona
• B. Brown v. Board of Education
• C. Roe v. Wade
• D. Kelo v. City of New London

Answer: (D)

Eminent domain is the government’s power to take private property for public use, with just compensation. The case that addresses this issue is Kelo v. City of New London. In that 2005 decision, the Supreme Court held that taking private property to advance a redevelopment plan that benefits the community and the local economy can qualify as “public use” or “public purpose,” as long as landowners are paid for their property. This ruling broadened the idea of what counts as a public use beyond traditional projects like roads or schools, allowing broader redevelopment schemes when the city deems them to serve the public interest. The other cases involve different civil liberties topics—Miranda v. Arizona deals with police interrogation and self-incrimination, Brown v. Board of Education addresses school segregation and equal protection, and Roe v. Wade concerns abortion rights.