Challenge by owner; motion to review necessity; hearing; determination by public agency binding on court; judicial determination of public necessity in acquisition by private agency; certificate by public service commission or federal agency as prima facie case; decision of court; final judgment; appeal; conclusive presumption of necessity.

MCL 213.56

in effect

213.56. Challenge by owner; motion to review necessity; hearing; determination by public agency binding on court; judicial determination of public necessity in acquisition by private agency; certificate by public service commission or federal agency as prima facie case; decision of court; final judgment; appeal; conclusive presumption of necessity. Sec. 6. (1) Within the time prescribed to responsively plead after service of a complaint, an owner of the property desiring to challenge the necessity of acquisition of all or part of the property for the purposes stated in the complaint may file a motion in the pending action asking that the necessity be reviewed. The hearing shall be held within 30 days after the filing of the motion. (2) With respect to an acquisition by a public agency, the determination of public necessity by that agency is binding on the court in the absence of a showing of fraud, error of law, or abuse of discretion. (3) Except as otherwise provided in this section, with respect to an acquisition by a private agency, the court at the hearing shall determine the public necessity of the acquisition of the particular parcel. The granting of a permanent or temporary certificate by the public service commission or by a federal agency authorized by federal law to make determinations of public convenience and necessity as to condemnation constitutes a prima facie case that the project in furtherance of which the particular parcel would be acquired is required by the public convenience and necessity. The granting of a certificate of public convenience and necessity by the public service commission pursuant to the electric transmission line certification act, Act No. 30 of the Public Acts of 1995, being sections 460.561 to 460.575 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, is binding on the court. (4) The court shall render a decision within 60 days after the date on which the hearing is first scheduled. (5) The court's determination of a motion to review necessity is a final judgment. (6) Notwithstanding section 309 of the revised judicature act of 1961, Act No. 236 of the Public Acts of 1961, being section 600.309 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, an order of the court upholding or determining public necessity or upholding the validity of the condemnation proceeding is appealable to the court of appeals only by leave of that court pursuant to the general court rules. In the absence of a timely filed appeal of the order, an appeal shall not be granted and the order is not appealable as part of an appeal from a judgment as to just compensation. (7) If a motion to review necessity is not filed as provided in this section, necessity shall be conclusively presumed to exist and the right to have necessity reviewed or further considered is waived. 1980, Act 87, Imd. Eff. Apr. 8, 1980; Am. 1995, Act 31, Imd. Eff. May 17, 1995; Am. 1996, Act 474, Imd. Eff. Dec. 26, 1996

Source: Michigan Legislature (legislature.mi.gov)URL: https://legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-213-56Fetched: 10/20/2026