It is time to bid farewell to the Year 2025, and our mind wanders back over the last 364 days in an attempt to ascribe meaning, a theme — a vibe — to the year that was.

Scientists tell us that this is just another trip around the Sun, but we humans like to assign meaning to a measure of time, so here’s our thoughts on what will stick with us about 2025.

Barista’s note: in the interest of objectivity, we shall exclude our shop’s cases such as this one: “Fla Ct App (en banc) In Takings Case: ”failing to vindicate a right expressly stated in the Constitution is not judicial restraint but judicial abnegation. That we must not do.'”

That said, here we go with what we think were the highlights of 2025 (lowlights are posted here in Part II).

Regulatory Takings Case of the Year: Alford v. Walton County, No. 2021-13999 (11th Cir. Nov. 17, 2025). The court held that the county’s Co-19 restrictions, which closed all beaches (even private beaches), was a physical taking. A great reminder that even a valid police power reason or an emergency does not exempt the government from the requirements of the Takings Clause.

Eminent Domain (Public Use) Case of the Year: Jones v. Port Freeport, No. 14-23-00948 (Tex. Ct. App. Sep. 18, 2025). When taking property, there’s at least gotta be a plan. And general, generic plans like “expansion of the Port” ain’t gonna cut it.

Eminent Domain (Just Compensation) Case of the Year: Mountain Valley Pipelines, LLC v. 9.89 Acres of Land, No. 23-2129 (4th Cir. Jan. 27, 2025). A great reminder that the court should not play gatekeeper when it comes to regulating what evidence of value the jury considers. The Rules of Evidence apply to just compensation cases the same way the Rules govern other cases.

Law Review Article of the Year: Ramsey Thrasher, “Daunting Odds: Regulatory Takings Claims in The United States Circuit Courts of Appeals” 94 Miss. L. J. 637 (2025). No grand theory, no academic buzzwords. Instead, we have an empirical article by a law student that puts numbers to what heretofore has been more anecdotal vibe: regulatory takings claims face an uphill battle. The piece goes through each circuit, and there’s a section on how the courts’ track record may be used to predict how those courts will rule down the road. The bottom line: a claimant 6.6% chance of success.

Honorable mentions:

Town of Apex v. Rubin, No. 206PAA21 (N.C. Aug. 22, 2025): if a taking is determined to be for private benefit and not a public use or purpose, title and right of possession revest with the property owner.

DM Arbor Court, Ltd. v. City of Houston, No. 23-20385 (5th Cir. Aug. 12, 2025): holding property for investment is not an economically-beneficial use.

Fulton v. Fulton County Bd of Commissioners, No. 22012041 (11th Cir. July 31, 2025): Congress doesn’t need to legislate a cause of action for just compensation, which is self-executing.

Want the year’s lows? Go here.

See you in 2026, friends.