How often do you see a published opinion from a federal court of appeals that uses the word “hassle” to describe needless litigation? Well, thanks to the irrepressible Chief Judge Kozinski, we now have citeworthy precedent from Clement v. City of Glendale, No. 05-56692 (Mar. 11, 2008):
Officer Young could have avoided years of
What does a fence along the U.S. – Mexico border to deter illegal crossings have to do with eminent domain law? Well, when the government is condemning property for the fence, a lot.
When it decided to put up a fence along the US-Mexico border,Congress gave the Attorney General the power to use eminent domain:
The plaintiff property owner has filed a motion for partial summary judgment in the federal court challenge to Maui County’s “affordable housing” requirement. Kamaole Pointe Development LP v. County of Maui, Civ. No. CV07-00447 DAE LEK (filed Feb. 28, 2008).
The Maui ordinance, enacted last year, imposes a 40% to 50% affordable requirement on
The Garden Island reports that a property owner’s appeal of the County of Kauai’s approval of its permits with allegedly illegal conditions is going forward after the County withdrew its motion to dismiss.
The County Attorney’s Office filed for themotion to dismiss based on the Planning Commission failing to issue a“written decision and order containing
In Goldstein v. Pataki, No. 07-2537-cv (Feb. 1, 2008), the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit held that a property owner failed to state a claim for Kelo “pretext.” While paying lip service to the notion that in reviewing a motion to dismiss under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6), the district court
A complaint has been filed in U.S. District Court against the mayor of Kauai County, the county Department of Planning, and the Planning Commission over the Coconut Beach development. The complaint seeks relief for violations of equal protection, and federal civil rights laws. Charley Foster has some background on the case here. Download the
Are rumors of the demise of the Ninth Circuit’s Armendariz doctrine greatly exaggerated, or is J.J. Hunsecker (Burt Lancaster)’s advice to Sidney Falco (Tony Curtis) in the noir classic Sweet Smell of Success more appropriate?
What brings this to mind is the parting shot in the recently-issued opinion in Matsuda v. City and County of
I’ve had a chance to review Matsuda v. City and County of Honolulu, No. 06-15337 (Jan 14, 2008), a decision by the Ninth Circuit on the Contracts and Due Process clauses, but which also involves how local governments exercise the power of eminent domain. The case revolves around Chapter 38 of the Honolulu Revised
The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has issued an opinion in Matsuda v. City and County of Honolulu, No. 06-15337 (Jan 14, 2008), a case involving the city’s repeal of Chapter 38, Honolulu’s version of the “land reform act” at issue in Midkiff, allowing the conversion of condominium leases to