(a) Contents of petition.--A condemnor, condemnee or displaced person may file a petition requesting the appointment of viewers, setting forth:

(1) A caption designating the condemnee or displaced person as the plaintiff and the condemnor as the defendant.

(2) The date of the filing of the declaration of taking and whether any preliminary objections have been filed and remain undisposed of.

(3) In the case of a petition of a condemnee or displaced person, the name of the condemnor.

(4) The names and addresses of all condemnees, displaced persons and mortgagees known to the petitioner to have an interest in the property acquired and the nature of their interest.

(5) A brief description of the property acquired.

(6) A request for the appointment of viewers to ascertain just compensation.

(b) Property included in condemnor's petition.--The condemnor may include in its petition any or all of the property included in the declaration of taking.

(c) Condemnation where no declaration of taking has been filed.--

(1) An owner of a property interest who asserts that the owner's property interest has been condemned without the filing of a declaration of taking may file a petition for the appointment of viewers substantially in the form provided for in subsection (a) setting forth the factual basis of the petition.

(2) The court shall determine whether a condemnation has occurred, and, if the court determines that a condemnation has occurred, the court shall determine the condemnation date and the extent and nature of any property interest condemned.

(3) The court shall enter an order specifying any property interest which has been condemned and the date of the condemnation.

(4) A copy of the order and any modification shall be filed by the condemnor in the office of the recorder of deeds of the county in which the property is located and shall be indexed in the deed indices showing the condemnee as grantor and the condemnor as grantee.

(d) Separate proceedings.--The court, in furtherance of convenience or to avoid prejudice, may, on its own motion or on motion of any party, order separate viewers' proceedings or trial when more than one property has been included in the petition.

Cross References. Section 502 is referred to in sections 504, 709 of this title.