We are a National Authority in Property Rights, Constitutional Law & Appellate Litigation

Nationally recognized trial attorneys specializing in property rights, IRS disputes, appellate litigation and more.

The National Authority In

Eminent Domain Litigation

If the government takes private property the Constitution requires the government to pay the landowner “just compensation” for that property the government took form the landowner. The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution says, “No person shall…be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.”

Every state constitution contains a similar provision protecting an owner’s right to their private property. Depending upon the circumstances of your case, you may also be entitled to be paid additional compensation for what the government took and the expenses you may have incurred in defending your right to be compensated. The federal Uniform Relocation Act, 42 U.S.C. § 4601, et seq., requires the federal government (or a state government using federal funds or acting under federal authority) to pay your legal fees and litigation expenses. The text of the Uniform Relocation Act is available here.

– Breaking News –

True North Law Files Amicus Brief on behalf of Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft in DOJ Lawsuit Against Texas

Thor Hearne, Steve Davis, and True North Law have filed an amicus curiae brief on behalf of Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft in United States v. State of Texas, the federal lawsuit brought by the Biden Administration against the State of Texas regarding Texas’ new election law statute.

A copy of the amicus brief is available here.

Secretary Ashcroft issued the following press release, available at: https://www.sos.mo.gov/default.aspx?PageId=10140

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, a licensed attorney in Missouri, recently filed an amicus brief with the federal court in Texas, defending the Texas Election Integrity Protection Act that was passed by the Texas legislature in August of this year and signed into law in September.

The Texas bill (Senate Bill 1) requires that voters casting mail-in ballots provide some form of identification, from a driver’s license to a bank statement. The bill also bans 24-hour voting, imposes restrictions on drive-thru voting and ballot harvesting, and prohibits election officials from sending unsolicited mail-in ballot applications. The legislation was recently challenged by the U.S. Department of Justice.

“The Texas law made appropriate much-needed changes to improve Texas’ election integrity without infringing on the ability of eligible Texans to vote,” Ashcroft said. “In a partisan move, the legislation was challenged by the Department of Justice, claiming the measure will ‘disenfranchise’ voters. The justice department’s claims are unfounded and baseless.”

Ashcroft, a strong supporter of election reform, is working with Missouri legislators to pass election integrity legislation in the 2022 session that would strengthen elections and voting in Missouri. Ashcroft supports the Texas legislation because it could be a model for other states, including Missouri, on election reform measures.

After Trial, Court Issues Sweeping Ruling in Favor of Georgia Landowners Represented by Thor Hearne

Following a trial in Atlanta, Georgia, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims has issued its decision awarding the plaintiff-landowners the full value of their property taken by the federal government for the creation of a recreational rail-trail across their properties.

“This is a sweeping win and total vindication for these landowners,” said Thor Hearne, who served as lead trial counsel for all the nearly sixty landowners in Jackson, et al. v. United States (court opinion and order available here).

The court awarded the full value of the landowners’ property taken by the government as valued by the landowners’ expert witnesses. The court overruled the government’s appraiser on every point, including stating that the government’s appraiser’s opinion “strains credulity.”

“The government actually tried to get away with saying that taking many of these landowners’ property for a public recreational trail actually made their properties more valuable and that the government shouldn’t have to pay these owners anything,” Hearne said. “We took the government to trial, and we prevailed on every single point.”

Thor Hearne pioneered rails-to-trails takings litigation and was named by the National Law Journal as one of the nation’s Top Fifty Litigation Trailblazers and Pioneers for his work. Over the past thirty years, he has represented thousands of landowners across the country in similar cases.

About Us

True North Law Group

True North Law Group is a Thor Hearne law firm, making us an authority in property rights and appellate litigation.

We have spent the last 30 years ardently fighting for the rights of our clients in a variety of constitutional and appellate law cases, including pioneering rails-to-trails compensation law and winning more cases on behalf of landowners than any other firm.

Your constitutional rights should never be infringed – particularly by the government – and we have devoted our practice to protecting and defending citizens through dedicated trial advocacy.

Meet True North

Owner's Council Profile

A Primer On The Federal Trails Act

Practice Areas

Expertise

Property Rights

& Eminent Domain

Protecting your 5th Amendment rights so that you receive just compensation for your property.

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Constitutional

Law & Voting Rights

Ensuring laws comply with the constitutions at the state and federal level, including fair elections and voting rights.

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Complex

Commercial Litigation

Advocating for businesses in complex property valuation, patent disputes, eminent domain lawsuits & more.

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Appellate Litigation

Federal & State Courts

Professional appellate litigation attorneys at all levels, including US circuit courts, state Supreme Courts and the US Supreme Court.

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Tax Court Litigation

Conservation Easements

Representing clients in tax courts for IRS disputes in land valuation, conservation easements, retirement benefits & more.

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Trial Advocacy
Professionals

Federal & State Courts

Experienced trial attorneys representing clients in a range of technical areas of law, including property rights, patents & more.

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Testimonials

Success Stories

“Mr. Hearne,

We appreciate your work in representing the homeowners along the Legacy Trail in Mission Valley, Nokomis, FL. The case was Rogers v. U.S. Over a decade-long fight your firm held fast and was successful. Thanks!”