John C. Murphy Attorney

First Admitted: 1980, California

Professional Webpage: http://www.murphyevertz.com/legal-professional/john-c-murphy...

Bar/Professional Activity:

Fellow, American Bar Foundation (2006 – Present)
Lambda Alpha (Honorary Real Estate Fraternity)
Appraisal Institute, Affiliate
Executive Committee, State Bar of California, Real Property Section, (2017 – Present)
International Right-of-Way Association: Chapters 57, 67 and 1
Orange County Superior Court, Arbitrator (1985 – 2008)
American Inns of Court, Warren J. Ferguson Inn, President (2005 – 2006); Vice President (2004 – 2005); Treasurer (2003); Executive Board (2002 – 2004)
International Right-of-Way Association – Chapter 67, President (2000); President-Elect (1999); Executive Board (1996); Newsletter Editor (1996 – 1998); Member (1993 – Present)
Chapman University Law School, Board of Visitors (2003 – 2011)

Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):

People of the State of California, by and through the Department of Transportation v. Russell F. Rohrs, et al. - Represented a ground lessee in a condemnation trial. The Agency's pre-litigation offer was $600,000. The final judgment, after a multi-phase proceeding, totaled $1.2 million.
Bay City Partners LLC adv. City of Seal Beach - Represented developers of a 48 lot oceanfront parcel in an action against the City of Seal Beach. The City offered $48,400 for some beach access. Mr. Murphy obtained a settlement worth up to $2 million, plus the City’s cooperation in further entitlements.
Garden Grove Agency for Community Development v. Dionisie and Daniela Goia, Garden Grove Auto Care and Care Rent-A-Car - Represented land and business owners in four week condemnation jury trial. The Agency's pre-litigation offer was $636,000. The verdict and attorneys' fees award totaled $1.6 million.
Fresno Unified School District v. International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, et al. - Represented a local Fresno congregation, and it’s Pastor against the District. The District condemned the church’s property for a new elementary school. The District initially offered $410,000. Mr. Murphy won an award of $1,350,000.
Las Galinas Valley Sanitation District v. Silveira, et al. - Represented a long-time Marin County dairy rancher in a complex condemnation jury trial. The condemning agency's pre-litigation offer was $650,000. The jury verdict amounted to $14,660,000, which was the largest condemnation verdict in the State for 2000, and one of the largest verdicts of any kind in Marin County. Client also won a substantial litigation expense award.
Caltrans v. Javad N. Sani, M.D., & Parvin Nahvi, M.D. - Represented owners of three ocean- and pastoral-view parcels totaling 13.47 acres off Highway 1 in San Simeon. Caltrans sought to condemn portions of two of the three parcels for its State Route 1 Realignment Project. Caltrans initially offered $1,073,800. It later valued total compensation for the part takes at $4,000,200. Mr. Murphy ultimately won a $6,400,000 award for full takes of two of the parcels.
City of Santa Fe Springs v. PPF Industrial - Represented the landowner of a 17-acre industrial park in an eminent domain action brought by the City of Santa Fe Springs for a grade separation project. The condemning agency initially deposited $516,000. Mr. Murphy won an award of $2,750,000.
Paramount Unified School District v. DiPinto, et al. - Represented a manufacturer (Trams International) of specialty vehicles against condemning school district, and also landlord. The District made no pre-litigation offer at all to Trams International. After several weeks of trial, Mr. Murphy’s client won $685,000 from the District, and an additional $280,000 from its landlord.
Orange County Transportation Authority v. Lakeview Orchard Association - Represented the Lakeview Orchard Association and its members in an eminent domain action brought by the Orange County Transportation Authority. OCTA sought to acquire a 2,951-square-foot permanent easement and a 48-month, 11,984-square-foot temporary construction easement. OCTA initially offered $743,000 for the taking of two easements and severance damages. The case settled before trial for $1,975,000 in compensation for the takings, and damages.
Riverside County Transportation Commission v. Ostlund - Represented the landowner in an eminent domain action brought by the Riverside County Transportation Commission. The Ostlund Family owned a parcel totaling 20,909 square feet and improved with a commercial/industrial building. RCTC’s initial offer to the Ostlund Family was $1,117,000. The case settled before trial. Mr. Murphy won an award for the Ostlund Family of $2.1 million.
People of the State of California, by and through the Department of Transportation v. Canyon Springs LLC - Represented landowner Canyon Springs LLC. Caltrans offered $1.1 million for 3.79 acres of land near the I-215/State Route 60 interchange. Me. Murphy won an award of $3.8 million.
3187 Redhill LLC, M2 Freeway LLC; ICC LLC v. The People of the State of California, acting by and through the Department of Transportation - Represented the landowner of a multi-tenant business park consisting of eight buildings and 70 suites in an inverse condemnation action against Caltrans. The landowner claimed that as a result of Caltrans’ unreasonable pre-condemnation conduct and unreasonable delay, it lost tenants and potential tenants, could not sell the property, and lost rent. Caltrans denied any wrongdoing. Mr. Murphy earned an award at $38 million, and also an award of lost rent.
People of the State of California, by and through the Department of Transportation v. Rancho Santiago Partnership, et al. - Represented the landowner facing condemnation. The public agency, Caltrans, initially offered $40,000. Mr. Murphy won a settlement of $460,000.
Southern California Industrial Federation adv. Caltrans - Represented industrial real estate owner in Santa Fe Springs. Caltrans sought condemnation for Interstate 5 widening. The initial offer was $3 million. After establishing the necessity for a full take, Mr. Murphy negotiated a $9 million sales price, while preserving the client’s ability to seek additional precondemnation damages and reimbursement of environmental remediation offsets.
California Department of Public Works et al. v. Steel Structures, Inc. - Represented landowner facing condemnation of 10% of its manufacturing facility for the California High Speed Rail Project. The Agency offered $222,000. Mr. Murphy won his client $3.3 million.
People of the State of California, by and through the Department of Transportation v. Jack Wade and Cowboy Boogie - Represented the business owner facing condemnation. The public agency, Caltrans, offered nothing. Mr. Murphy obtained $1.2 million for his client.
Budget Inn (Santa Fe Springs) adv. Caltrans - Represented the owner of a 105 room budget motel. Caltrans’ initial offer for a part take was $84,000. Mr. Murphy won a settlement of $4.6 million for his clients.
People of the State of California, by and through the Department of Transportation v. B.H. & B.M. Woodson Family Trust, et al. - Represented a landowner in a three week condemnation jury trial. The Agency's pre-litigation offer was $1.1 million. The jury's verdict was for $1.9 million. Attorneys fees were also awarded.
City of Anaheim v. Etchandy - Represented the Etchandy Family - - owner of a multi-tenant commercial/retail property at the southeast corner of East La Palma Avenue and North Tustin Avenue - - in an eminent domain action brought by the City of Anaheim. The City sought to condemn a portion of the property for the Tustin/La Palma Avenue Roadway Improvement Project. The City first offered $989,210, and later valued the total compensation for the part take at $729,126, and an additional $386,00 of temporary severance damages. Mr. Murphy won an award of $2.2 million as just compensation for the partial takings.
Paramount Unified School District v. McLane Manufacturing, Inc., et al. - Represented manufacturer, the largest employer in the City of Paramount, in a condemnation matter. Mr. Murphy won an award of $5.58 million, more than twice the school district's original $2.2 million offer.
City of Santa Ana v. Hinojosa, et al. - Represented the property owner in an eminent domain action brought by the City of Santa Ana. The City acquired the property for its Grand Avenue Widening Project. The City initially offered $530,000. Mr. Murphy ultimately won an award for $1,115,000.
Riverside County Transportation Commission v. Charlie R. Webb, Rosina G. Webb, et al. - Represented the landowner in the City of Corona. The Webb Family operated Unique Designs, a successful outdoor patio and landscape art and furniture business for over 21 years. RCTC sought to condemn a portion of the property for its SR-91 widening project. RCTC valued the property at $886,000 and valued the lost goodwill at $84,000 for a total of $970,000. Mr. Murphy won an award of $1,796,318.
People of the State of California, by and through the Department of Transportation v. Calvary Deaf Church and the Southern California Assemblies of God - Represented a non-profit church for the disabled. Won a $ 4.6 million settlement, just one week before a scheduled three week jury trial for the defendant congregation and denomination. Caltrans had previously offered no more than $ 1.6 million and had planned to argue at trial for a $ 770,000 value. The final award ($4.6 million) amounts to well more than five times this figure.
San Francisco Bay Area Transit District v. PPF Industrial Whipple Road/Bowman Place LP - Represented the landowner of a 28.6-acre multi-tenant property in an eminent domain action brought by the San Francisco Bay Area Transit District. BART condemned the entire property for the Hayward Maintenance Complex Project. BART initially offered PPF Industrial $34,000,000. Mr. Murphy earned its client an award of $42,750,000.
Riverside County Transportation Commission v. Giant Inland Empire RV Center Inc., et al. - Represented owners of an RV dealership located at 2100 – 2200 Frontage Road and 1307 Pomona Road in Corona along the 91 Freeway. RCTC sought to acquire the property for the State Route 91 widening project. Giant RV sought approximately $4.2 million for its lost business goodwill and real estate interests. Mr. Murphy won an award of $3.9 million.
People of the State of California, by and through the Department of Transportation v. Altmans, et al. - Represented the owner of an RV dealership on Interstate 10 freeway at Baldwin Avenue. The condemning agency, Caltrans, initially offered $958,000. Mr. Murphy settled the case one week before the jury trial was to begin for total compensation of $7.85 million for his client.
Nyenhuis Family Investments LLC v. County of San Bernardino et al. - Represented the Nyenhuis family, long-time dairy farmers in Chino, against the County of San Bernardino and its Department of Airports. The family sought compensation for disruption caused by the County’s Chino Hills Airport. The County initially denied any liability or obligation. It offered nothing. Ultimately, Mr. Murphy won for the Nyenhuis family an arbitration award of $48 million, including a litigation expense award of nearly $500,000.
People of the State of California, by and through the Department of Transportation v. International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, et al. - Represented the congregation of the oldest church in Orange County in a complex, multi-phase condemnation jury trial. The Agency's pre-litigation offer was $726,000. Mr. Murphy won a verdict and award of litigation expenses totaling $1.9 million.
Roll Properties LLC and Carmenita SFS Property LLC adv. Caltrans - Represented the owners of a large, 210,271 square foot business park with 62 tenants in Santa Fe Springs on the Interstate 5 freeway. After establishing the necessity for a full take, Mr. Murphy negotiated a $25.5 million sales price, while preserving the client’s ability to seek substantial additional precondemnation damages and reimbursement of environmental remediation offsets.
United States of America v. 86.38 Acres - Represented Mobil Oil and Armstrong Petroleum in a condemnation case where the public agency, the Army Corp of Engineers, initially offered $645,000. Mr. Murphy obtained, on the first day of the jury trial, $4.2 million for his clients.
San Bernardino Water District v. Mentone Citrus Growers - Represented the owner of a large historic citrus grove. The Water District initially offered $1.8 million. Mr. Murphy ultimately won a settlement of $6 million for his clients.
Santa Ana Unified School District v. Bouchier et al. - Represented the Bouchier family in connection with the taking of an 8.3 acre parcel of land in central Santa Ana, the future site of an elementary school. The case settled for $6.2 million, $700,000 more than the District’s offer.
City of Santa Ana v. 7 Days Tire, et al. - Represented 7 Days Tire in an eminent domain action brought by the City of Santa Ana for its Grand Avenue Widening Project. The City initially offered nothing for the lost business goodwill. Mr. Murphy ultimately won an award for 7 Days Tire for over $313,000.
Riverside County Transportation Commission v. 2410 Wardlow Property, LLC, et al. - Represented the landowner of a 4.73 acre parcel improved with eleven freeway-frontage retail and showroom suites. The property also enjoyed a 40-foot tall pylon sign with double-faced digital marquee, which provided freeway-visible advertising space for the property and its tenants. RCTC sought to condemn portions of the property for its SR-91 widening project. RCTC initially offered $1,111,000. Mr. Murphy won an award of $4.7 million.
Inland Valley Development Agency v. JAKS, LLC - Represented JAKS, LLC, a shopping center developer, in a condemnation matter over a 10-acre parcel of land located along the I-10 expressway in San Bernardino. The Agency condemned the property in order to convey it to another developer who built a Sam's Club. The Agency argued the property was worth only $1.7 million due to access issues. Mr. Murphy won an award one week before trial for $3.45 million. (2003)
San Bernardino County Transportation Commission v. Arrowhead Central Credit Union - Represented the Arrowhead Central credit Union in an eminent domain action brought by the San Bernardino County Transportation Commission. SBCTC sought to condemn a portion of the property for the construction of the Downtown San Bernardino Passenger Rail Project. SBCTC valued total compensation to Arrowhead at $1,184,811. Mr. Murphy ultimately won an award for $2,070,000.
People of the State of California by and through the Department of Transportation v. Plaza Covina et al. - Represented the landowner in an eminent domain action brought by Caltrans. Plaza West Covina owns a freeway-prominent 11,258 square-foot retail pad in the City of West Covina. Caltrans sought a full-take of the property for its I-10 high-occupancy vehicle lane project. Caltrans’ initial offer was $3,136,000. Mr. Murphy won an award for $7.8 million, plus costs.
City of La Puente Redevelopment Agency v. Gudzunas, et al. - Represented the owner of a three acre retail shopping mall developed in the 1950s. The condemning agency, the City of La Puente Redevelopment Agency, initially offered $3.55 million. Mr. Murphy negotiated a lost rent agreement which insulated the client from any loss of income during the litigation. Mr. Murphy won an award on the eve of jury trial for total compensation of $6.2 million to his client.
City of Lake Forest v. Alexander S. Rados, Trustee - Represented the landowner in an eminent domain action brought by the City of Lake Forest. The City condemned just over 13 acres for a new sports park. The City valued just compensation for the expert exchange at $6.6 million. Mr. Murphy settled the case two weeks before trial for $15.4 million.

Honors/Awards:

Featured in Los Angeles magazine from 2007 – 2017 as Southern California "Super Lawyer" for Real Estate Law.
Mr. Murphy spoke on trial tactics in eminent domain at the American Law Institute – Continuing Legal Education (ALI-CLE) 34th Annual Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Litigation Conference in San Diego in 2017. He has also spoken at the January, 2006 23rd Annual ALI-ABA National Eminent Domain Conference in San Diego; the 2009, 26th ALI-ABA National Eminent Domain Conference in Miami, Florida; the 2012, 29th ALI-ABA Eminent Domain Conference in San Diego; and the 2015, 32nd Annual National Eminent Domain Conference in San Francisco.
Mr. Murphy has authored a chapter on condemnation for the California Continuing Education of the Bar; treatise, “Ground Lease Practice,” and he also authored a chapter of the American Bar Association text book on expert witnesses, “Litigators on Experts.”
Elected a Fellow of the American Bar Association in 2006.
Featured in the November 2006 Los Angeles Times article, "Best Lawyers in the LA Area."
Featured in Southern California Super Lawyers from 2006 – 2017 for Land Use/Zoning, Real Estate Litigation.
Mr. Murphy received his J.D. from the University of Southern California, Gould School of Law in 1980; and his B.A., with honors, from the University of California, Riverside in 1976.
Over the past ten years, Mr. Murphy has spoken at over 15 International Right of Way Association seminars and programs. Most recently, he spoke at the IRWA’s 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 Annual International Education Conferences in Indianapolis, Calgary, Atlanta, Seattle, West Virginia, and Hartford, Connecticut.
Selected for the "Best Lawyers in America" annual guide to Real Estate Law, published in the 2007 – 2017 issues of Corporate Counsel magazine.
Featured in the November, 2007 – 2017 Los Angeles Times articles, “Southern California’s Best Lawyers.”
Featured in the definitive legal directory, "Best Lawyers in America," from 2006 – 2017 in two categories: Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law; and Real Estate Law.
He serves as Co-Chairman of the annual CLE International Southern California seminar on eminent domain. He has spoken frequently at Appraisal Institute seminars, and authored an article for the Appraisal Journal.
Mr. Murphy is the former president of Chapter 67 of the International Right of Way Association (2000) and former member of the Board of Directors of the Orange County Bar Foundation. He is a past President of the Warren J. Ferguson Chapter of the American Inns of Court and has served on the Board of Visitors of the Chapman University Law School. He is also a member of Lambda Alpha, and an affiliate member of the Appraisal Institute.
Martindale Hubbell® AV “Pre-eminent” Rating.
Featured in Orange Coast Magazine “Top Attorneys In Orange County” from 2006 – 2017 for Land Use/Zoning.

Educational Background:

Brown University, 1972 - 1974
University of California, Riverside, California, United States of America, B.A., With Honors, 1976

Scholarly Lectures/Writings:

Co-Author, "Southern California Edison Strictly Liable for Property Damage," Los Angeles Daily Journal, September 17, 2012
Co-Author, "Square Pegs, Round Holes, Easy Targets: Valuing Special-Use Property In Eminent Domain," The Appraisal Journal (August, 2010).
Co-Author, "Litigators on Experts: Strategies for Managing Expert Witnesses from Rentention through Trial," (American Bar Association Litigation Section, ABA Publishing, 2010), Experts in Condemnation Cases.
Co-Author, "Should Jurors Hear the Whole Story? Two Opinions Force a Look at the Role of Juries in Condemnation Trials," California Real Estate Journal (February 18, 2003).
Co-Author, "Eminent Domain Reform Arrives in California Ahead of Election Day," California Real Estate Journal (October 23, 2006).
Author, "Appraisers as Expert Witnesses: What Makes Them So Special?" Right of Way – Journal of the International Right of Way Association (Mar/Apr 2001).
Co-Author, "Exploring the Eminent Anderson Initiative," Real Estate Southern California (September 2006).
Co-Author, "Anderson Initiative (Prop. 90) Could Radically Impact California Eminent Domain Law," Coastal Post (October 2006).
Speaker, “What’s So Good About Business Goodwill?” 29th ALI-ABA National Conference on Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Litigation, San Diego, CA (January 26 – 28, 2012)
Speaker, “Should We Make A Federal Case Out Of It? Navigating Eminent Domain In Federal Court,” CLE International, Garden Grove (April, 2012)
Speaker, "Eminent Domain Update: Developments in Eminent Domain Law Across The Country: 2011 – 2012," IRWA Annual International Education Conference, Seattle, Washington (June, 2012).
Speaker, “Eminent Domain Update: Developments in Eminent Domain Law: 2011 – 2012,” IRWA Chapter 57, Riverside, CA (September, 2012).
Speaker, "Eminent Domain Update: Developments in Eminent Domain Law Across The Country: 2012 – 2013," IRWA Annual International Education Conference, Charleston, West Virginia (June, 2013).
Speaker, "Full Take/Part Take? The Need For New Rules," CLE Eminent Domain Conference, Los Angeles, CA (May, 2014).
Speaker, "Eminent Domain Update: Developments in Eminent Domain Law Across The Country: 2013 – 2014," IRWA Annual International Education Conference, Hartford, Connecticut (June, 2014).
Speaker, “You Can’t Whistle a Symphony: A Partnered Approach to Jury Selection in Eminent Domain,” CLE International Eminent Domain Conference, San Francisco, CA (October, 2014).
Speaker, “What’s Wrong With The Law of Valuation in Eminent Domain? Four Rules We Need To Change Now,” 32nd ALI-CLE National Conference on Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Litigation, San Francisco, CA (February, 2015).
Speaker, “Eminent Domain 101,” County of Riverside, Riverside, CA (May, 2016).
Speaker, “Working With Witnesses In Eminent Domain,” American Law Institute – Continuing Legal Education (ALI-CLE) National Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Conference, San Diego, CA (January, 2017)
Speaker, “Civil and Traffic Engineers: How We Can Be the Key to Unlock Your Case,” 19th Annual CLE International Eminent Domain Conference, San Diego, CA (February, 2017)
Co-Author, "Lewis Carroll, Humpty Dumpty and So-Called Final Offers," Daily Journal (June 2015).
Co-Author, "Ground Lease Practice," (Cont. Ed. Bar 2d ed. 2009) Condemnation.

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