About this time last year, the Court of Federal Claims held that the federal government was liable for a temporary taking to certain property owners for the flooding caused by Hurricane Katrina and the Corps of Engineers’ failure to maintain the “MR-GO” (Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet) canal system. See also a guest post by
Court of Federal Claims | Federal Circuit
CFC Tackles Judicial Takings: SCOTUS “Cracked Door Ajar,” But Federal Circuit Mostly Says No Jurisdiction
A noteworthy opinion from the Court of Federal Claims in Petro-Hunt LLC v. United States, No. 00-512L (Apr. 26, 2016), dismissing a claim for a judicial taking for lack of subject matter jurisdiction because the claim would require the CFC, an article I court, to review the actions of the Fifth Circuit, an article…
Amicus Brief: NYC’s Highline Park Is A Taking: A “General” Easement Allowing All Uses Isn’t Really An Easement At All
Earlier today, we asked the Federal Circuit for its permission to file this amici brief urging the court to rehear its recent panel decision in Romanoff Equities, Inc. v. United States, No. 15-5034 (Fed. Cir. Mar. 10, 2016).
This is a rails-to-trails takings case in which the panel concluded that the words in the …
$133,500,000 CFC Verdict For A Categorical Lucas Taking
We’re tied up today, so can’t write much, but wanted to post this recent decision from the Court of Federal Claims. Here’s the court’s own summary:
Plaintiffs Love Terminal Partners, L.P. (“Love Terminal Partners”) and Virginia Aerospace, LLC (“Virginia Aerospace”) are leaseholders of property at Dallas Love Field Airport (“Love Field”), located in Dallas, Texas.
2016 ALI-CLE Eminent Domain Conference, Austin: Second Day
The second day of the 2016 ALI-CLE Eminent Domain and Land Valuation conference went as well as the first. Here are some highlights:
- Austin Mayor Steve Adler (pictured above), who is (was?) also an eminent domain lawyer, welcomed us to his city.
- We moderated a discussion between Andy Gowder and Dana Berliner about “First
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ALI-CLE 2016 Eminent Domain Conference, First Day: Standing Room Only, National Expertise
Here’s what’s going on today, the first day of the 33d annual ALI-CLE Eminent Domain and Land Valuation conference in Austin, Texas. We’re at standing room only, with a record number of attendees and our usual nationally renown faculty.
We started off the day with our usual “Eminent Domain Update” session with Amy…
ALI-CLE 2016 Eminent Domain Conference: Austin Scouting Report
Austin, Texas, is where we’re at for the next few days, for the 2016 edition of the American Law Institute-CLE Eminent Domain and Land Valuation conference, now in its 33d year. First time we’re in Austin, however, and our registration numbers are looking very good, and we haven’t had this big a turnout in years.…
Amicus Brief: Congress Cannot Bar Property Owners From Vindicating Right To Just Compensation
Here’s the amici brief filed last week by the Cato Institute and the National Association of Reversionary Property Owners in Resource Investments, Inc. v. United States, No. 16-802. That’s the case in which the property owner is claiming that the delay in issuing Clean Water Act permits was so extraordinary, it was a …
Amicus Brief: Applying Civil War-Era Statute To Toss Federal CFC Takings Claims “Gives Credence To The Belief That ‘The Law Is An Ass.'”
Here’s the amicus brief we filed today in support of the Petitioner/property owner in Resource Investments, Inc. v. United States, No. 16-802. That’s the case in which the property owner is claiming that the delay in issuing Clean Water Act permits was so extraordinary, it was a temporary taking. Ultimately, the Federal Circuit …
Fed Circuit On Rails-To-Trails Class Action Attorneys Fees, The Uniform Relocation Act, And A Possible Circuit Split
After the usual preliminaries — certification of a 253-member class, subclass certifications, discovery, and motions and cross-motions for summary judgment — the parties in a rails-to-trails takings case in the Court of Federal Claims mediated the dispute and ended up agreeing to $110 million plus interest as just comp for the property taken, and slightly…






