A win for property owners throughout California
For years, Oakland has treated small property owners as a piggy bank, demanding ever growing penalties for minor, alleged building code violations and denying property owners any legitimate opportunity to defend themselves. But thanks to a PLF victory in the California Court of Appeal, that abuse will come to an end. Things got so ba ...
PLF mourns the passing of our friend and colleague, Reed Hopper
It is with deep sadness that we convey the news that one of our leading litigators, Senior Attorney Reed Hopper, tragically passed away on Christmas. We wish to extend to Reed's wife, Cathy, and all his family, our profound condolences. A man of conviction, courage and compassion, Reed was a loving family man and generous friend and on the prof ...
PLF files opening brief at Supreme Court in Minnesota Voters Alliance v. Mansky
Pacific Legal Foundation today filed its Petitioners' Brief on the Merits in Minnesota Voters Alliance v. Mansky, a case pending before the Supreme Court of the United States. The Court granted review on November 13, 2017, and oral argument will be held on February 28. In Minnesota Voters Alliance, PLF represents Minnesota voters in their First ...
Weekly litigation report—January 6, 2017
A win for property owners throughout California What could be a better Christmas present than a property-rights win for every property owner in California? Over the holiday break, the California Court of Appeal issued an important decision protecting property owners from abuse by overzealous local governments. Oakland took more than $12,000 from ...
Hannity covers PLF’s Markle case now pending at the Supreme Court
Yesterday the U.S. Supreme Court announced it would continue considering whether to grant review in PLF's important Endangered Species Act case known as Markle v. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. In 2012, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated more than 1,500 acres of land in Louisiana as a "critical habitat" for the rare dusky gopher frog. ...
8th Circuit endorses extreme deference to the government
A year ago, I wrote about the occupational licensing case of two African-style hair braiders in Missouri. In that case, even though neither the state-mandated exam or the cosmetology curriculum covers African-style hair braiding, the braiders face the prospect of having their livelihoods taken away unless they spend thousands of dollars and hundred ...
The costs (and lack of benefits) of designating a national monument
On December 4, 2017, President Trump reduced the size of the Bears Ears National Monument from over 1.35 million acres to around 200,000 acres. A few days later, Patagonia, a retail company that sells outdoor wear and took in over $200 million in revenue in 2017, sued the federal government. In their lawsuit Patagonia, and the environmental and oth ...
PLF asks Michigan Supreme Court to stop theft by tax collectors
Uri Rafaeli's small business—Rafaeli, LLC—lost a valuable Southfield, Michigan home to pay an $8 debt to Oakland County. Andre Ohanessian lost 2.7 acres of valuable land in Orchard Village to pay a $6,000 debt. Michigan's property tax law allowed Oakland County to sell the properties, collect the debts owed, and then pocket tens of thousand ...
Weekly litigation update—January 13, 2018
PLF files motion to intervene to defend public land access for all On Thursday, PLF filed a motion to intervene in Utah Diné Bikéyah v. Trump in order to defend President Trump's decision to downsize the Bears Ears National Monument from 1.35 million acres, as originally designated by President Obama, to 200,000 acres. PLF filed the motion on ...