Cases
Below is a listing & description of just some of the cases we have worked on.
Custom, Inc. – 2001
A mid-sized manufacturing plant that did vegetable and salad processing for restaurants was told to move by the County. The County told them they would get no relocation benefits. A persistent manager spoke to three law firms each of which confirmed what the County said. Then she called Schnitker Law Office, P.A. We knew right away the County and the law firms were wrong and eventually received relocation payments of $485,000.00. This was done based on our knowledge of the rules and without litigation.
G.S. Construction, Inc. – 2003
A medium sized suburban city condemned G.S. Construction, Inc.’s real estate and offered to pay up to $100,000.00 in relocation benefits if eligible claim costs could be proved. Our office assessed the business and move costs and concluded that: there were actually several businesses on site that had claims (all owned by the owner of the real estate); claim costs would be far in excess of $100,000; and the city was trying to get by on the cheap. We pursued the claim and after over $400,000.00 was paid an administrative appeal hearing was held that resulted in a total overall claim payment of $558,000.00
Boatworks, Inc. – 2002
Two brothers were two small business tenants on property bought by the State. The State tried to avoid paying relocation benefits by having a third party non-profit organization do the direct buying. That third party then deeded the real estate to the State after our clients had moved. The clients were told they would get no relocation benefits. We pursued the case and, based on our knowledge of the law, obtained payments for the two businesses that exceeded $70,000.00. These clients were ecstatic and went from zero to a significant amount of money to help offset relocation costs. The result achieved was done without litigation and was based on our knowledge of the relocation rules.
Our Catholic Church – 2004
The State forced a rural church and its priest to move. The priest lived in a rectory next to the church. The State offered to pay $31,000.00 in relocation costs and nothing more. When Schnitker Law Office, P.A., got involved, we quickly learned the amount offered was ridiculously low, not based on the law or on a proper claim process. Additionally, the State had never even advised the church or its priest that residential relocation benefits were in order. Our office aggressively pursued the church claim and the claim for its priest and in the end obtained benefits in excess of $130,000.00. This was all done based on our knowledge of the law and without any litigation.
Mr. and Mrs. D. P. – 2004
A suburban city bought eight homes for a highway project. It broke the law and failed to advise homeowners and tenants of their relocation benefits. The City was quite sneaky and put a relocation waiver statement in most of the purchase agreements. This waiver was later held to be illegal.
Two of the homeowners and one tenant decided to challenge the City and hired Schnitker Law Office, P.A. We aggressively pursued claims and beat the City and obtained in excess of $30,000.00 in payments for theses persons.
All other homeowners failed to make claims and got nothing. They let the government win by breaking the law. At least one of the other homeowners had an attorney at the time of the sale to the City and that attorney failed to set the City straight. He did not know the relocation rules.
Rural MN – 2004
The State of Minnesota forced several homeowners, tenants and business owners to move as a result of a highway project. The State refused to provide housing relocation payments to the homeowners to assist them in purchasing new homes and refused to recognize that many small home-based businesses were eligible to make relocation claims, as well.
After Schnitker Law Office, P.A., held a public meeting in the area, many of the homeowners and business owners retained Schnitker Law Office, P.A., to make relocation claims for them. Schnitker Law Office, P.A. aggressively pursued claims against the State to receive the full amount of benefits for which the clients were eligible.
As of October 12, 2004, Schnitker Law Office, P.A. has obtained over $120,000.00 for these displaced homeowners and business owners.
Suburban Twin Cities – 2004
A suburban city in the Twin Cities area forced many homeowners and tenants to move as part of a redevelopment project. The City’s real estate agent obtained invalid waivers from the homeowners in an attempt to avoid having to pay relocation benefits.
Three of the displaced homeowners contacted Schnitker Law Office, P.A., to make claims for them. After Schnitker determined that the waivers obtained did not meet the requirements for a valid waiver, all three homeowners made successful relocation claims.
Schnitker Law Office, P.A., was able to obtain relocation payments in excess of $60,000.00 for these three clients without having to resort to litigation.
A mid-sized manufacturing plant that did vegetable and salad processing for restaurants was told to move by the County. The County told them they would get no relocation benefits. A persistent manager spoke to three law firms each of which confirmed what the County said. Then she called Schnitker Law Office, P.A. We knew right away the County and the law firms were wrong and eventually received relocation payments of $485,000.00. This was done based on our knowledge of the rules and without litigation.
G.S. Construction, Inc. – 2003
A medium sized suburban city condemned G.S. Construction, Inc.’s real estate and offered to pay up to $100,000.00 in relocation benefits if eligible claim costs could be proved. Our office assessed the business and move costs and concluded that: there were actually several businesses on site that had claims (all owned by the owner of the real estate); claim costs would be far in excess of $100,000; and the city was trying to get by on the cheap. We pursued the claim and after over $400,000.00 was paid an administrative appeal hearing was held that resulted in a total overall claim payment of $558,000.00
Boatworks, Inc. – 2002
Two brothers were two small business tenants on property bought by the State. The State tried to avoid paying relocation benefits by having a third party non-profit organization do the direct buying. That third party then deeded the real estate to the State after our clients had moved. The clients were told they would get no relocation benefits. We pursued the case and, based on our knowledge of the law, obtained payments for the two businesses that exceeded $70,000.00. These clients were ecstatic and went from zero to a significant amount of money to help offset relocation costs. The result achieved was done without litigation and was based on our knowledge of the relocation rules.
Our Catholic Church – 2004
The State forced a rural church and its priest to move. The priest lived in a rectory next to the church. The State offered to pay $31,000.00 in relocation costs and nothing more. When Schnitker Law Office, P.A., got involved, we quickly learned the amount offered was ridiculously low, not based on the law or on a proper claim process. Additionally, the State had never even advised the church or its priest that residential relocation benefits were in order. Our office aggressively pursued the church claim and the claim for its priest and in the end obtained benefits in excess of $130,000.00. This was all done based on our knowledge of the law and without any litigation.
Mr. and Mrs. D. P. – 2004
A suburban city bought eight homes for a highway project. It broke the law and failed to advise homeowners and tenants of their relocation benefits. The City was quite sneaky and put a relocation waiver statement in most of the purchase agreements. This waiver was later held to be illegal.
Two of the homeowners and one tenant decided to challenge the City and hired Schnitker Law Office, P.A. We aggressively pursued claims and beat the City and obtained in excess of $30,000.00 in payments for theses persons.
All other homeowners failed to make claims and got nothing. They let the government win by breaking the law. At least one of the other homeowners had an attorney at the time of the sale to the City and that attorney failed to set the City straight. He did not know the relocation rules.
Rural MN – 2004
The State of Minnesota forced several homeowners, tenants and business owners to move as a result of a highway project. The State refused to provide housing relocation payments to the homeowners to assist them in purchasing new homes and refused to recognize that many small home-based businesses were eligible to make relocation claims, as well.
After Schnitker Law Office, P.A., held a public meeting in the area, many of the homeowners and business owners retained Schnitker Law Office, P.A., to make relocation claims for them. Schnitker Law Office, P.A. aggressively pursued claims against the State to receive the full amount of benefits for which the clients were eligible.
As of October 12, 2004, Schnitker Law Office, P.A. has obtained over $120,000.00 for these displaced homeowners and business owners.
Suburban Twin Cities – 2004
A suburban city in the Twin Cities area forced many homeowners and tenants to move as part of a redevelopment project. The City’s real estate agent obtained invalid waivers from the homeowners in an attempt to avoid having to pay relocation benefits.
Three of the displaced homeowners contacted Schnitker Law Office, P.A., to make claims for them. After Schnitker determined that the waivers obtained did not meet the requirements for a valid waiver, all three homeowners made successful relocation claims.
Schnitker Law Office, P.A., was able to obtain relocation payments in excess of $60,000.00 for these three clients without having to resort to litigation.
