What legal process allows the government to take private property for public use?

The legal process that allows the government to take private property for public use is known as condemnation. This process is part of the broader concept of eminent domain, which grants the government the power to seize private property for a public purpose, provided that fair compensation is given to the property owner. Condemnation proceedings are typically required to establish that the taking is necessary for a public benefit, such as building roads, schools, or parks.

While other terms like expropriation are often used interchangeably with condemnation, especially in different jurisdictions, in the context of U.S. law, "condemnation" is the specific legal procedure utilized to formally take the property, making it the most accurate choice in this scenario. Taxation and conversion do not pertain to the process of taking property for public use; taxation refers to the collection of revenue by a government, while conversion is a civil wrong involving the unauthorized taking of another's property.