Along the Texas border with Mexico, the government seized hundreds of acres of land so they could build that border wall, but now there’s a dispute over how much money the landowners will get in return.
“I doubt they’ll find a group of land experts here that will give property owners a fair outcome,” Dr. Eloisa Tamez tells San Antonio’s News Radio 1200 WOAI.
Her family has owned land since 1767. It’s a remnant of a 12,000 acre grant from Spain to her family, before the United States even existed.
As with any property, there’s varying estimates about how much land is worth. Of course, the property owners think their families acreage is worth more than market value, because in many cases, it’s been handed down from generation to generation. Land experts might say the property is worth less, because it’s along a barren stretch of South Texas.
A federal judge will decide if a jury of peers or a jury of land experts will decide how much the federal government owes these landowners.
Tamez wants both.
“I think there should be a mixed group, and they have to be carefully screened, because it’s been difficult for me to find an expert to appraise my land.”
She wants peers on the jury to balance what could be biased land experts.
“I’m not completely sure that having a group of only land experts is going to in the best interest of the land owners.”
Land experts rely on government contract to survive, and she’s worried that they’ll skew toward the low side, to avoid being blackballed.
Her trial is set to go in march… and she can’t wait to go before a jury.
“This is America! Americans expect justice!”
The government opposes jury trials, warning the judge in a brief that such a plan could drag out the cases for more than a year.
