Articles

Defending the rights and liberties of regular Americans — that’s been Pacific Legal Foundation’s stock and trade for more than 40 years.   The challenge facing PLF clients, Teresa Avila-Burns and her husband Ray Burns, is typical of the cases we take and victories we win for their constitutional rights, and those of their fellow Ame ...

The Supreme Court of the United States today received PLF’s Reply Brief on the Merits in Murr v. Wisconsin, filed on behalf of the Murr family. The case is now fully briefed, and ready for scheduling oral argument. It is expected that the Court will soon set an oral argument date, most likely in November. … ...

This week, Pacific Legal Foundation made history outside the courtroom with the naming of Steven D. Anderson — our next President and CEO.  Steven is well versed in constitutional law and he’s an ardent defender of property rights from a stellar career at the Institute for Justice where he is currently Executive Vice President and … ...

Supreme Court Victory! The Supreme Court gave Pacific Legal Foundation a resounding victory on Monday in United States Army Corps of Engineers v. Hawkes. The unanimous Court held that a Corps of Engineers’ Jurisdictional Determination (i.e. wetlands delineation) is immediately reviewable in court and subject to challenge. For the first time s ...

Yesterday, eleven separate briefs representing over 30 entities were filed in the Supreme Court of the United States in support of the Murrs in this high profile regulatory taking case. Of particular note, the State of Nevada was joined by eight other states, pointing out that “Amici States’ interest is at its apex here” and that ...

Pacific Legal Foundation today filed its Petitioners’ Brief on the Merits in this case pending before the Supreme Court of the United States. The Court granted review on January 15th, 2016, and oral argument will be held in early October. A specific oral argument date has not yet been set.  A copy of the Petition … ...

For almost 25 years since Lucas v. South Carolina Coastal Council, it has been well established that government agencies commit an unconstitutional taking when their regulations deprive a property owner’s land of “all economically viable use.” But when a property owner owns two or more adjacent legal parcels, courts have split on ...

In addition to Corps v. Hawkes and Kent Recycling v. Corps, Pacific legal Foundation has a third case that has been “relisted” and is being given serious consideration for a grant of certiorari.  Under the current procedure, the Supreme Court of the United States often relists a case for the next conference if it is a … ...

In Brott et. al. v. United States, a group of Michigan property owners have brought suit against the United States for a violation of their rights under the Fifth Amendment. They contend that the federal “rails to trails” program has resulted in a taking of their private property without payment of just compensation. But this … ...