Here’s the latest in a case we’ve been following.
Recall that a couple of months ago, the court of appeals held that the challengers were likely to succeed in their challenge to Dallas’s short-term rental ban. The case was up on appeal from a preliminary injunction, so there wasn’t a lot in that
This interesting — and kind of funny — story has been circulating: “Judge’s ruling means Charlottesville has no zoning laws whatsoever right now.”
What happened? Is the counter-Euclid revolution underway? Did the judge rediscover Nectow? Did Charlottesville voters decide to go Full Houston?
No, nothing quite as dramatic. The story
In City of Dallas v. Dallas Short-Term Rental Alliance, No. 05-23-01309-CV (July 18, 2025), the Texas Court of Appeals affirmed a preliminary injunction, suspending operation of two ordinances which (1) restrict, and (2) require registration of short-term rentals in Dallas.
It’s a short opinion and up on appeal from interlocutory emergency relief, so there
In this order, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois temporarily enjoined enforcement of Chicago suburb Glen Ellyn‘s prohibition on renting property for less than 30 days.
Blakelick owns a five-bedroom single family home that when purchased was not located in Glen Ellyn. Since 2022, it has been offering the
The question in today’s case is an old one: can you own wild animals?
In Texas Parks & Wildlife Dep’t v. RW Trophy Ranch, Ltd., No. 15-24-00112-CV (Apr. 10, 2025), the Texas Court of Appeals said no. At least not when that wild animal is a white-tailed deer.
Here are the facts.
You should already know Short Circuit is the Institute for Justice’s frequently-updated podcast on important and interesting decisions from the federal courts of appeals (the “Circuit” part of the title, we assume).
If you are not already a regular listener you are missing out, because it is a fantastic and easy way to keep up
Readers know that the North Carolina Constitution does not contain a “takings” or “just compensation” clause. Does that mean that the government can simply take property, and not have to worry whether the taking is for a public use, and with just compensation? Of course not.
Because we also know that the N.C. Constitution
The owner’s land is a peninsula most of the time, but when Flathead Lake, Montana, rises a few months each year, it needed a bridge to access. So it asked the County “How about a bridge? We will only use it when the water rises.” County said yes, issued a permit.
NIMBY neighbors, however, had
Lake Worth: the “lago” in Mar-a-Lago
You know his name. He’s taken on the City of Riviera Beach twice at the U.S. Supreme Court. And won both times. The houseboat that isn’t a boat. The government can’t shut you out from speaking your mind simply because you irritate them.
That’s right, it’s Fane
There are some rewards for working late in the 808
Yesterday was the last day of instruction for the Spring 2024 semester at the University of Hawaii Law School. Did these last few months ever go by fast.
A big thank you to Professor Mark M. Murakami, with whom I guest-lectured at the Old