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ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLANT Paul Helmke Fort Wayne, Indiana Joe Conner Misty Smith Kelley Chattanooga, Tennessee ATTORNEYS FOR AMICI CURIAE INDIANA-AMERICAN WATER COMPANY, INC., AMERICAN SUBURBAN UTILITIES, INC., SANI TECH, INC., EASTERN HENDRICKS COUNTY UTILITY, INC., AND SOUTHEASTERN UTILITIES, INC. Daniel W. McGill Nicholas K. Kile Indianapolis, Indiana ATTORNEYS FOR AMICI CURIAE INDIANA ASSOCIATION OF SEWER COMPANIES, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN UTILITIES, INC., RIVERSIDE WATER COMPANY, INC., EASTERN BARTHOLOMEW WATER CORPORATION, AND EDWARDSVILLE WATER CORPORATION J. Christopher Janak Ty H. Conner Indianapolis, Indiana

ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE Karl L. Mulvaney Randolph L. Seger Brian W. Welch Christopher M. York Indianapolis, Indiana ATTORNEYS FOR AMICI CURIAE INDIANA ASSOCIATION OF CITIES AND TOWNS AND INDIANA MUNICIPAL LAWYERS ASSOCIATION Adam Arceneaux Brian E. Bailey Indianapolis, Indiana

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In the

Indiana Supreme Court
_________________________________ No. 02S04-0706-CV-248 UTILITY CENTER, INC., D/B/A AQUASOURCE, Appellant (Plaintiff below), v. CITY OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, Appellee (Defendant below). _________________________________ Appeal from the Allen Circuit Court, No. 02C01-0207-PL-92 The Honorable Thomas J. Felts, Judge _________________________________

On Petition to Transfer from the Indiana Court of Appeals, No. 02A04-0410-CV-576 _________________________________ June 22, 2007 Sullivan, Justice. Water and sewer service is provided in Indiana cities by the municipalities themselves or by private, investor-owned utilities. In this case, a municipality seeks to acquire a portion of the operations of a privately-owned utility that serves a portion of the City recently annexed. We hold that it may do so pursuant to the requirements of Indiana's general eminent domain statute.

Background

The City of Fort Wayne owns and operates a sewer and water utility. Utility Center, Inc., d/b/a Aquasource, is a for-profit corporation that operates a public utility that provides sewer and water service in and around Fort Wayne.

Pursuant to Indiana's general eminent domain statute, Ind. Code

Download Utility Center, Inc., d/b/a Aquasource v. City of Fort Wayne, Indiana.pdf

Indiana Law