Judge Sides With Homeowners In Citrus Canker Verdict

WEST PALM BEACH (CBSMiami/AP) – Homeowners who won a $19 million jury verdict against the state for its citrus canker eradication program have now received the backing of a judge.

On Monday, Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Robin Rosenburg ruled that the state must pay without involving lawmakers because it took private property for a public purpose. State lawmakers had argued the homeowners should have to petition the Legislature for money to pay the judgment.

Canker causes unsightly blemishes on fruit.

The lawsuit is one of several in Florida involving destruction of hundreds of thousands of healthy citrus trees between 2000 and 2006. The state eventually abandoned the program after concluding that eradication of canker was impossible.

(TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)