Judge cites Norwood case in e.d. decision against Cincinnati

Taxpayers must cough up $335,000 to restaurant owners

Last year’s Ohio Supreme Court decision in the Norwood case was used as a basis for Judge Ralph Winkler’s recent ruling in favor of two Clifton Heights restaurants that were on the receiving end of bad eminent domain behavior by the City of Cincinnati. The judge issued a stern warning when he wrote, “The City of Cincinnati should in the future be very careful when it initiates eminent domain proceedings against private-property owners. In this case, the city lost taxpayers’ money to legal fees and expenses.” Unfortunately, this probably isn’t the last time the Norwood case will be put to good use by a court reprimanding a municipality for abusing its power of eminent domain.