Property Rights

A shocking eminent domain scandal is unfolding in Johnston, Rhode Island: Last week, the Town secretly took possession of a family's 31-acre property, only notifying the owners afterward in a letter demanding they "remove all vehicles and other personal belongings from the property immediately" or they'd be served with a no trespass notice. "I w ...

The COVID-19 pandemic happened "gradually and then suddenly," to steal from Hemingway. In early 2020, the U.S. Commerce Secretary optimistically predicted that the coronavirus outbreak in China would "help to accelerate the return of jobs to North America." New York City's health commissioner encouraged New Yorkers "to go about their everyday lives ...

Clancy Kenck grew up idolizing his two older brothers. They were men of action, brave soldiers who fought for their country in Vietnam and were always there to stand up for their baby brother. Now that his brothers are getting on in age, Clancy sees it as his duty to return the favor and do what he can to ensure the two disabled veterans are cared ...

"Workforce housing" fees — a bad idea that drives up the cost of housing and unconstitutionally places the burden of other people's housing on individual property owners — may soon run their course in Wyoming. Senate File 40, if it passes, will provide welcome relief to property owners throughout the state by codifying what the Constitution and ...

If the government severely restricts your use of your property, should you receive "just compensation," as promised in the Fifth Amendment's Takings Clause? That's the question presented in regulatory takings cases, in which the property owner still owns the property but cannot make full use of it. In Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes's well-worn words ...

A remarkable story emerged as The New York Times rewrote an infamous 1970s trope when it revealed that scientists had invented an 'endangered species' -- a tiny fish called the snail darter -- to stop a southeastern energy project. "Saving" the snail darter became a model for how to leverage laws designed to protect the environment to kill energy a ...

It's been four weeks since deadly fires ripped through the coastal Los Angeles community of Pacific Palisades and through Altadena at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. Schools, businesses, and social gathering places were devastated by the flames. Entire neighborhoods of family homes were wiped off the map. As shown time and time again, Ameri ...

According to Bloomberg,  new home construction sank to its lowest level in years, comparable only to the downturn during the pandemic-induced shutdowns of 2020. Financial experts quoted in the piece blame restrictive monetary policy — interest rates are high and so are mortgages, making new home construction an expensive endeavor.   Monetar ...

There are countless stories of governments tramping on individual rights, causing extreme financial burdens along with mental and emotional stress. For PLF client Tom Hamann, the violation of his property rights and the subsequent economic losses and stress were accompanied by physical injuries that have forever altered his life. On top of fighting ...