What is the term for the process by which the government can acquire private land for public use?

The process by which the government can acquire private land for public use is referred to as eminent domain. This legal concept allows the government to take private property, typically for infrastructure projects, such as highways, schools, or parks, under the condition that they provide just compensation to the property owner. Eminent domain is grounded in the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which states that private property shall not be taken for public use without just compensation.

While terms like condemnation and expropriation are often used interchangeably with eminent domain in everyday language, they can have specific legal nuances. Condemnation specifically refers to the legal process that a government uses to exercise its right of eminent domain, whereas expropriation is a broader term that may refer to similar processes in different legal contexts, including international law. Zoning, on the other hand, pertains to local regulatory measures that dictate land use and development, rather than the acquisition of property.

Understanding these distinctions clarifies that eminent domain is the overarching term for the government's authority to acquire private property for public purposes.