A Macon County judge will decide whether to recuse himself from all of the Ameren transmission line condemnation cases filed in the county, according to orders entered Oct. 7.
Judge Rick Tucker held 8 a.m. hearings Oct. 7 in the two cases Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois, known as ATXI, filed in August, 26MA-CC00054 and 26MA-CC00055. The order entered in each case says, "Additional filings occurred on 10/5/2026 and the Court will determine whether or not it should recuse on all cases." The orders do not say what those filings were. ATXI filed its third Macon County condemnation case, 26MA-CC00064, on Oct. 5, the same date.
Both August cases are now set for 8 a.m. Nov. 4 before Tucker. By agreement, answers are due Oct. 30 in the cases now pending, the orders say.
St. Louis attorney Laura Bentele appeared by video for ATXI at both hearings, according to the orders. In the Aug. 10 case, attorneys Paul Henry and Doug Silvius appeared by video for defendants. In the Aug. 28 case, Dan Kazanas and Quinn Benson appeared by video and Brent Haden appeared in person.
Lawyers for more landowners entered the Aug. 28 case Oct. 6, the day before the hearing, and one filed a motion for a continuance, the docket shows. On Oct. 7, another landowner couple asked for more time.
ATXI is seeking permanent easements across Macon County property for the DZTM Project, about 200 miles of new 345-kilovolt transmission lines across 10 northern Missouri counties, according to its petition in the Oct. 5 case. The Missouri Public Service Commission granted the company a certificate of convenience and necessity for the project July 16, 2025, the petition said.
Henry, who represents eight defendants in the Aug. 10 case, said in an email Oct. 6 that his clients are contesting only the amount of compensation, not ATXI's right to condemn.
Before a judge can enter an order of condemnation, Missouri law requires the court to find that the company negotiated in good faith before filing, under Section 523.256. If a condemnation goes forward, the court appoints three disinterested county residents as commissioners to assess what owners are owed, under Section 523.040.