Clark H. Tidwell
Clark H. Tidwell, an eminent domain lawyer joined the firm in 1967, and acted as special counsel to the Tennessee Department of Transportation which was acquiring property mainly for the Interstate Highway System, trying hundreds of condemnation cases before juries in Middle Tennessee.
Thereafter, he began to represent landowners whose property rights were taken for such projects as the Convention Center, Gaylord Entertainment Center and the Coliseum, as well as other entities, which have the power to condemn.
When private property is taken for a public purpose, the owner has the right to receive just compensation under federal and Tennessee law. Property acquisition for gas, power and water line purposes require that easements must be valued. Working with clients and expert witness to prove fair market value necessitates an in-depth understanding of statutory and case law. Increasingly, the courts have begun to recognize that governmental regulatory action can be a taking for which payment to the owner is required.
Clark has spoken at professional seminars on the subject of eminent domain law.