What legal right allows the government to acquire private property for public use?

The correct answer is eminent domain, which is a legal right that allows the government to acquire private property for public use. This power is grounded in the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which recognizes that while private property cannot be taken for public use without just compensation, it can indeed be appropriated when necessary for projects that serve the public good, such as roads, schools, or other infrastructure.

Eminent domain serves an important function in enabling governments to fulfill their responsibilities to the community and ensure that necessary public services can be delivered. The process typically involves a legal proceeding where the government must demonstrate that the taking of the property is for a legitimate public purpose, and owners are entitled to fair compensation based on market value.

The other choices involve different legal concepts. The right of redemption pertains to the ability of a property owner to reclaim their property after a foreclosure or tax lien sale. Condemnation is the actual process through which the government exercises its power of eminent domain, but by itself, it does not represent the broader legal right. A public easement refers to the right to use a portion of another person's property for a specific purpose, such as access to a road, but it does not involve taking ownership of the property itself.