The facts in D.A. Realestate Inv., LLC v. City of Norfolk, No. 23-1863 (Jan. 16, 2025), a recent decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, are fairly sympathetic. And the opinion starts off with a tantalizing quote:
In 1761, Massachusetts lawyer James Otis exclaimed “one of the most essential branches
Here’s a recently-filed cert petition to watch. We won’t go into the background, because the Questions Presented pretty much lay the foundation:
Respondent County of San Diego, et al. (County), a California land use agency, denied the land use permits for Village Communities et al. (Village) to develop a much-needed residential and mixed-use community
Two — count ’em two! — cert petitions from our shop, filed today. Both call for “clarifying or overruling” Penn Central.
Oh, have I got your attention now?
Check this out, a just-published unsigned student piece: Note, “Taking Old Ladies’ Homes: A Comparative Exploration of Eminent Domain in Islamic Law,” 138 Harv. L. Rev. 841 (2025).
Not that we have any background to be able to evaluate the author’s assertions, but at the very least, the piece is very interesting (you
If you thought the issue of whether it is a Fifth Amendment taking for a state or local government to “keep the change” after satisfying a tax debt was settled by the U.S. Supreme Court in Tyler v. Hennepin County, 598 U.S. 631 (2023), you’d be right.
Then what was there left for the
At first glance, it might seem like there’s a lot there in the U.S. Court of Appeals’ opinion in Becker v. City of Hillsboro, No. 23-3367 (Jan. 7, 2025).
After all, the city’s prohibition on new private wells and another requirement that newly built homes connect to the city’s water system seems a bit
With our tongues firmly planted in cheeks, the Planning Chairs for the upcoming 42d edition of this popular and venerable Conference bring you this “breaking news” report from San Diego!
As you know, in addition to being the best nationally-focused conference on the subjects that we love and a venue that is nearly certain to
Check out, the latest from Professor Timothy Harris, “Revisiting Palazzolo: The Blurry Lines Between Ripeness and Standing that Enable Windfalls,” 73 Kan. L. Rev. 289 (2024). He dives into the question of whether an owner who acquires property already subject to regulations that allegedly work a taking may assert a claim, or does
It’s been a couple of weeks, but we’re still trying to wrap our head around the Iowa Supreme Court’s opinion in Singer v. City of Orange City, No. 23-1600 (Dec. 20, 2024).
The court rejected a facial challenge under the Iowa Constitution’s search-and-seizure clause to a city ordinance requiring the owner of rental units
Heads up law students and young lawyers: the American Bar Association’s Section of State & Local Government Law has called for submissions for its annual writing competition.
Topics which the Urban Lawyer publish pieces about include land use, takings, eminent domain, housing, RLUIPA, exactions … and more.
Here’s the announcement:
The State and Local Government