The legal fight originated in August 2015 when the Arkansas State Highway Commission took pieces of two adjoining parcels in Conway to build roundabouts and widen Dave Ward Drive. While the state originally valued the taken property at just $417,825, co-trustee Cody Lewis demonstrated that local requirements forced the trust to sacrifice seven additional acres and spend up to $4.5 million on replacement roads. The appellate court affirmed the full compensation package, which added interest, legal fees, and appraisal costs to the jury's verdict.
Key points
The Arkansas Court of Appeals fully affirmed the multi-million dollar verdict against the…: The Arkansas Court of Appeals fully affirmed the multi-million dollar verdict against the Arkansas State Highway Commission.
Severe access restrictions can legally justify compensation far beyond the initial land v…: Severe access restrictions can legally justify compensation far beyond the initial land valuation by government agencies.
The affirmed final judgment incorporates substantial additional sums for interest, attorn…: The affirmed final judgment incorporates substantial additional sums for interest, attorney's fees, and appraisal costs.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
A dispute over a small strip of land in Conway, Arkansas, grew into a decade-long legal battle after a highway project restricted access to the remaining property. The Arkansas Court of Appeals has upheld a jury's $3 million compensation award, rejecting the state's arguments that the verdict was excessive and that evidence about replacement roads should not have been admitted.
A government acquisition involving just 1.62 acres of land has resulted in a multimillion-dollar compensation dispute in Arkansas, highlighting how a small taking can affect the value and potential use of a much larger property. In a ruling delivered on October 28, 2026, the Arkansas Court of Appeals upheld a $3 million jury verdict awarded to the William Major Lewis Trust after a highway project restricted the property's direct access to Dave Ward Drive in Conway. The decision in Arkansas State Highway Commission v. Lewis, published by Justia, affirmed the trial court's judgment despite the commission's challenge to the award and the evidence considered by the jury.
The dispute began on August 7, 2015, when the Arkansas State Highway Commission…
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