Comes the sad news that Jess S. Jackson, of the renown Kendall-Jackson wine label, has passed away in his Northern California home. Details here (K-J website), here (San Francisco Chronicle), and here (Santa Rosa Press Democrat). Jackson’s biography reveals a life lived very large: winemaker, business mogul, philanthropist, race horse owner.
Add to that list takings lawyer. Before he went full-time into the wine business, Jackson’s law practice included representing property owners in condemnation and regulatory takings cases. Gideon Kanner, a long-time colleague, adds his rememberances here.
Property mavens, remember these cases?
- Herrington v. Sonoma County, 834 F.2d 1488 (9th Cir. 1987).
- Kinzli v. City of Santa Cruz, 818 F.2d 1449 (9th Cir. 1987).
- Del Monte Dunes of Monterey, Ltd. v. City of Monterey, 920 F.2d 1496 (9th Cir. 1990).
- California Coastal Comm’n v. Granite Rock Co., 480 U.S. 572 (1987).
- United States v. 100 Acres of Land, 468 F.2d 1261 (9th Cir. 1972).
- Kaiser Dev. Co. v. City & County of Honolulu, 898 F.2d 112 (9th Cir. 1990).
The last case was one in which we had the pleasure of working with Mr. Jackson and his colleagues (and Gideon). It involved a parcel in east Honolulu known as “Queen’s Beach,” and was (among other things) a Nollan claim for a taking because the City demanded that the landowner “donate” the most valuable part of the parcel to the public in exchange for development permits. The City referred to these exactions as “the goodies” (remember, Nollan was newly-minted precedent, and many government officials had not got the message yet, or simply didn’t care). Long story short: we lost at the trial level, the Ninth Circuit, and the Supreme Court denied cert. But we like to think we were ahead of our time. Gideon’s Trumpet has more about that case here.
Vaya con Dios, Mr. Jackson.