Two years ago, Owners’ Counsel of America endowed a scholarship in the name of its founder, property rights advocate and trial lawyer Toby Prince Brigham (1934-2021). The scholarship is for a second- or third- year law student to attend the annual three-day ALI-CLE Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Litigation Conference (the upcoming Conference will be
Court of Federal Claims | Federal Circuit
CAFED: Just Because The Govt Seized Property As Evidence Doesn’t Mean It Can Keep It Without Compensation
Here’s the latest in an issue we’ve been following.
Let’s say the government thinks you have committed a crime (or someone else has). To investigate, it seizes property as evidence or potential evidence. But after things wrap up and it no longer needs the property as evidence, the government doesn’t return it to its owner.
CAFED: Temporary But Recurring Flooding Is A Categorical Taking, Not Penn-Central-Plus
Here’s the latest in a case we’ve been following.
In Ideker Farms, Inc. v. United States, No. 21-1949 (June 16, 2023), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit held that temporary, but recurring government-caused flooding was correctly treated by the Court of Federal Claims as a categorical per se taking, and…
Guest Post – Kady Valois, “How The West Was Won: Easements!”
Today’s post is by our Pacific Legal Foundation colleague Kady Valois, writing about a recent Federal Circuit Rails-to-Trails takings case, Behrens v. United States, No. 22-1277 (Feb. 13, 2023).
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How The West Was Won: Easements!
by Kady Valois
There’s a saying that the west was won by pioneers, settlers, and adventurers.…
IRWA’s Summary Of Major Eminent Domain Cases & Legislation (June-Dec 2022)
The International Right of Way Association‘s Real Estate Law Committee produces twice-a-year reports “which contain summaries of eminent domain decisions and legislation within the United States.”
And what is really nice is that they make the report available.
Here’s the latest.
We’re posting it here because we’re one of the co-authors. Hat tip…
CAFED: Commercial Fishing In The U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone Is A Govt-Granted Privilege, Not A Property Right

We thought this fellow has “authority over all fish.”
By statute (the Magnuson-Stevens Act), the feds claim the sovereign right to exclusive fishery management and “authority over all fish” in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, a zone “extending 200 nautical miles from the baseline[.]”
The question facing the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal…
Ice Ice Baby: A Report From The 40th ALI-CLE Eminent Domain & Land Valuation Litigation Conference, Feb 1-4, 2023, Austin
We were eagerly anticipating 40th American Law Institute-CLE Eminent Domain and Land Valuation Litigation Conference. The 2022 Conference in Scottsdale was one of the first meetings where everyone was back in-person (and was a smashing success), but that conference was early in the game so not everyone could or would attend. But in the past…
(Nearly) Last Call: There’s Still Time To Join Us For The 40th ALI-CLE Eminent Domain & Land Valuation Litigation Conference, Feb 1-4, Austin
We really want you there…
One (nearly) last reminder that there’s still time to register for your space at the 40th ALI-CLE Eminent Domain & Land Valuation Litigation Conference, February 1-4, 2023, in Austin. In the past several years, we have sold out due to the conference room capacity and the conference hotel block.
Here’s The Program For The 40th ALI-CLE Eminent Domain & Land Valuation Litigation Conference, Feb 1-4, 2023, Austin
Here it is, the official agenda and program for the 40th ALI-CLE Eminent Domain & Land Valuation Litigation Conference, February 2-4, 2023 (with a special event the evening of Wednesday, February 1, 2023 to entice you to arrive early).
Here’s the brochure with the complete agenda, schedule, and faculty listing. But to tempt you, …
CAFED Hears Arguments In Two Takings Cases
Ideker Farms, Inc. v. United States, No. 21-1849
As written up in the FedCircuitBlog (a must-follow for all you federal takings mavens):
It concerns the federal government’s liability for taking private property. Specifically, in this case, the Federal Circuit will review the conclusion of the Court of Federal Claims that the government’s action was…




