California retiree prepares for second Supreme Court battle
In April 2024, California retiree George Sheetz celebrated a rare legal milestone: a unanimous ruling in his favor by the U.S. Supreme Court. George sued his county government years prior after it refused to issue him a building permit until he paid a fee to fund future county traffic projects. Initially, California courts dismissed his claim, r ...
Graffam, Ballentyne, BFP, and Pung : When auction prices fall short
Last week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in PLF's case Pung v. Isabella County. At its core, the case is about home equity theft and the Fifth Amendment's promise of just compensation. The Constitution says that when governments take your home to satisfy a tax debt, they can take only what is owed to them and are required to return the ...
Federal court hands Florida property owner a major win in fight to protect his beach
For two decades, Leslie Daniels has owned a beachfront home in Palm Beach, Florida. His property includes a sandy beach parcel—land he holds title to, pays taxes on, and uses for family gatherings. For most of that time, the Town of Palm Beach agreed the beach was his. Town maps labeled it private. Police enforced trespassing laws on it. Official ...
Today’s oral arguments in Pung v. Isabella County
This morning, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Pung v. Isabella County, a lawsuit challenging a Michigan county's failure to provide just compensation after seizing and selling the Pung family home over a $2,200 tax debt that was never owed. Justice Sotomayor's remarks included a succinct summary of the case. "Justice Barrett very ...
The evolution of home equity theft : from Rafaeli to Pung
On February 25, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Pung v. Isabella County, the latest legal challenge to the practice of home equity theft to reach the high court. Pacific Legal Foundation's fight to end home equity theft began in 2015 and has already included a victory at the U.S. Supreme Court. But the Pung case presents a que ...
What can we expect as Pung heads to SCOTUS? Tyler’s oral arguments offer clues
On Wednesday, PLF heads back to the Supreme Court to continue the fight against home equity theft and protect property owners' right to just compensation. Pung v. Isabella County began with a disputed tax bill and ended with loss of a treasured family home and $118,000 in equity. Mike Pung was managing the estate of his late nephew, Scott, which ...
A full and perfect equivalent : Just compensation and the Fifth Amendment
In the autumn of 2025, the Supreme Court granted certiorari in the first case since the 1980s to address the amount of "just compensation" the government is required by the Constitution to provide when it takes private property. In Pung v. Isabella County, Michigan, the government confiscated a family's home for failing to pay a tax they were exemp ...
Mr. Beast v. the bald eagle
During a recent appearance on The Tonight Show, YouTube legend Mr. Beast told host Jimmy Fallon about the time a bald eagle derailed the filming of one of his videos. The majestic bird did not disrupt the production by swooping in front of the camera or drowning out the dialogue with its signature high-pitched whistle. No. The only hindrance was th ...
American Heroes : Fighting for Homeowners’ Rights with Christina Martin
At Pacific Legal Foundation, we're leading the charge against home equity theft—a practice where local governments seize far more than what a property owner owes in taxes. Few fight as passionately as PLF Senior Attorney Christina Martin, who has spent more than a decade defending homeowners nationwide. On this episode of American Heroes, ...