Mississippi Supreme Court April 7, 2011, 2008-CA-02105-SCT, 2010-CA-00290-SCT (DEDEAUX UTILITY CO. v. City of Gulfport)

RANDOLPH, Justice,

for the Court:

¶ 1. In 1996, the City of Gulfport, Mississippi (“Gulfport”) filed a complaint of eminent domain against Dedeaux Utility Company (“Dedeaux”), a privately-owned, public utility company, in the Special Court of Eminent Domain, Harrison County, Mississippi, First Judicial District. For the following eight years, Dedeaux continued to operate the utility.