We already knew from its amicus brief brief that the federal government supported the property owner in Knick v. Township of Scott, No. 17-647, the case in which the US. Supreme Court agreed to review the continuing validity of the “state procedures” rule of Williamson County Regional Planning Comm’n v. Hamilton Bank, 473
Appellate law
Looks Like I Picked The Wrong Week To Start Reading This Book
Fourth Circuit: Challenge To Natural Gas Act Delegation Of Eminent Domain Power Must Go Through Admin Process First
Here’s the opinion in a case we’ve been following. In Berkley v. Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC, No. 18-1042 (July 25, 2018), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit held that the federal Natural Gas Act allows the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to delegate eminent domain authority to Mountain Valley, and that any challenges…
What Might A Justice Kavanaugh Mean For Takings, Land Use, And Other Issues?
Clare Trapasso has a Realtor.com piece on what a Justice Kavanaugh could mean for real estate, property, and land use issues, “What Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh Could Mean for Real Estate,” where she correctly notes that “while commentators have been scrutinizing Kavanaugh’s record on hot-button topics like abortion and immigration, there’s been…
New Cert Petition: Legislatively-Imposed Exactions Subject To Nollan-Dolan-Koontz?
Here’s one that’s been a long time coming (or coming back, more accurately).
In this recently-filed cert petition, the issue is whether an “exaction” imposed by the legislature should be subject to the nexus and rough proportionality requirements of Nollan, Dolan, and Koontz, or is merely subject to rational basis review (i.e.…
Links And Materials From Today’s Transportation Research Board Session
Here are the cases and other items I either spoke about or mentioned at today’s Transportation Research Board‘s 57th Annual Workshop on Transportation Law in Cambridge, Massachusetts:
- The Colorado public use cases: public use vs. public purpose: Lafayette and Carousel Farms
- On the Supreme Court docket: Violet Dock Port (SCOTUS, Louisiana)
- The Louisiana Supreme
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DC Cir: No Property Right In A Clean And Pure Environment Because No Right To Exclude Others
Remember that case from earlier this year where the Hawaii Supreme Court held that for purposes of Hawaii’s Due Process Clause, the Sierra Club (any “person,” actually) has a property right in a “clean and healthful environment?”
We asked if that were the case, then what does that “property” right look like? For example, how…
SCOTUS Amici Brief: Kelo Revisited – Louisiana Case Is An Opportunity To Clarify Eminent Domain Pretext
Here’s the amici brief we’re filing in an important Public Use case we’ve been following.
In St. Bernard Port, Harbor & Terminal District v. Violet Dock Port, Inc., No. 2017-C-0434 (Jan. 30, 2017), the Louisiana Supreme Court upheld the taking by the St. Bernard Port, Harbor, and Terminal District of a Mississippi River docking facility…
Colorado Supreme Court To Review Major Eminent Domain Case: Does Public Use Save A Taking From A Private Purpose?
The Colorado Supreme Court has agreed to review a public use case we’ve been following with keen interest, Carousel Farms Metropolitan District, No. 18SC30 (July 2, 2018), one we noted was the “most interesting” such case of 2017.
The Court of Appeals held that the actual purpose of the taking was private, so…
New Cert Petition: The Other Williamson County Ripeness Test, Intentional Precondemnation Value Depression
Here’s a cert petition we’ve been waiting to drop, in a case we’ve been following out of Florida.
In Town of Ponce Inlet v. Pacetta, LLC, No. 5D14-4520 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. June 16, 2017), the Florida District Court of Appeal reversed a Lucas takings verdict, concluding the case might not even be ripe …



