Citrus tree owners win! Unique jury award based on height of trees

WEST PALM BEACH — A jury today agreed more than 26,000 Palm Beach County residents should be well-compensated for trees that were cut down as part of the state’s failed $1 billion citrus canker eradication program.

After nearly seven hours of deliberation over two days, a Palm Beach County Circuit Court jury rejected the state’s argument that the trees, which appeared healthy, were worthless because they had been infected with a bacteria that still threatens the state’s citrus industry.

Attorneys representing homeowners in the class-action lawsuit estimated the verdict is worth roughly $16.1 million to be divided among the homeowners, who lost a total of nearly 66,500 trees. In addition, the attorneys said the state will have to pay an additional nearly $10 million to $15 million in interest that began accumulating when the first tree was felled in 2000.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/crime-law/citrus-tree-owners-win-unique-jury-award-based-on-/nkWPT/

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Yep. This is still going on. Wonder if anyone has collected...