Pretrial Hearings

Do I need to attend any hearings prior to the trial? 

That decision will be up to you and your attorney. All hearings are open to the public and you are    permitted to attend any of the hearings. 

Some hearings may require your attendance and may even require your testimony. Others may be technical and procedural and will not require your attendance. 

What types of hearings may be held prior to the trial? 

There are many different types of hearings which may be held prior to the actual trial.  The most substantial of these hearings is probably the order of taking hearing, at which time the court will determine whether the property may be condemned, how much property may be taken and the amount of money the condemning authority is required to deposit into the Registry of the court in order to take title to the property.

Hearings may also be held to decide the appropriate way to determine compensation, the correct way to appraise the property or the admissibility of certain evidence, as well as many other questions and issues.