Marrs Ellis & Hodge’s name partner Luke Ellis discussed representing several displaced property owners amid the planned I-35 expansion with KXAN Austin.  

“These are, at their fundamental core, what we call ‘takings’ lawsuits,” Ellis said during the interview. “These are condemnation and eminent domain-based lawsuits where the government uses its power of eminent domain to take private land from private landowners.” 

The eight-mile project includes over 100 businesses and residences. 

“In each of these instances where we are contesting the state’s taking, we are challenging to get our clients what we believe they’re constitutionally entitled to recover, which is the true, fair market value of the property,” Mr. Ellis said. “And we don’t think that’s represented in many of the appraisals we’ve received from the government.”