Larry “Wil” Wilkins just wants to enjoy the serenity of his woodsy property in rural Montana.
The self-described “mountain man” is a military veteran with PTSD who passes the time fishing, blacksmithing, and gazing at the mountain vistas.
He didn’t mind the dirt road that crosses his property. It was meant for limited use—mostly logging—according to a decades-old easement agreement with the U.S. Forest Service.
In 2006, however, the government pulled a bait-and-switch with the easement, opening up the road to the public without Wil’s permission.
Traffic, noise, trespassing, and property damage soon followed. Someone even shot Wil’s cat. (The cat survived.)
When Wil questioned the Forest Service’s unilateral easement change, the government brushed him off.
When Wil sued over the Forest Service’s blatant easement violation, the courts brushed him off.
The government said Wil was too late—a statute of limitations to bring legal action had passed. Nor could Wil even argue the dates in question because victory in property rights disputes between the government and private citizens automatically goes to the government.
Wil’s been denied his day in court—until now.
Please join us on November 18 as we preview PLF’s 18th Supreme Court case, set for oral argument on November 30. Wil’s legal team will break down Wilkins v. USA and its role in PLF’s broader fight to elevate property rights to its rightful status among our Constitution’s other celebrated liberties.
