The government's power to take private property for public use, with just compensation, is called:

• A. Escheat
• B. Lien
• C. Eminent Domain
• D. Condemnation

Answer: (C)

Eminent domain is the government's power to take private property for public use, with just compensation. This authority lets the state acquire land for essential projects like roads, schools, or utilities while ensuring the owner is paid fair value for the property taken. The requirement of just compensation protects owners from being forced to give up their property without fair payment. In practice, the actual taking is carried out through a condemnation proceeding, which is the legal process that determines the amount of compensation and transfers ownership to the government. Escheat refers to property reverting to the state when there are no heirs, and a lien is a claim against property to secure a debt—neither describes the government's power to take property. So the correct term for the power itself is eminent domain.