What term describes the legal process by which a governmental body acquires private property for public use?

The correct answer is condemnation, which refers to the specific legal process utilized by government entities to take private property for public use, often involving a formal legal proceeding to establish the necessity and compensation for the property being taken. This process is typically governed by state laws and includes the requirement for the government to provide just compensation to the property owner as mandated by the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Condemnation involves negotiations and can also lead to litigation if an agreement cannot be reached regarding the amount of compensation. The condemnation process is a fundamental aspect of eminent domain, which is the broader legal principle giving government the right to take private property.

While expropriation is a term often used synonymously with condemnation, it is more frequently associated with the acts of foreign governments or in different legal contexts. Eminent domain, while inclusive of condemnation, refers more broadly to the right of the government to take property, rather than the procedural aspect of how that right is exercised. Involuntary alienation encompasses a variety of mechanisms outside the scope of government takings, such as foreclosure or tax sales, and does not specifically relate to the government's acquisition of property for public use.