Articles

Wisconsin says, "The wolf is recovered"

April 29, 2010 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

Author:  Damien M. Schiff Earlier this week, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announced that it was filing a petition to delist the Wisconsin subpopulation of the Western Great Lakes distinct population segment (DPS) of gray wolf from the protections of the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  The petition argues that the w ...

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Wisconsin creating a barrier to…regulate?

October 22, 2015 | By CALEB TROTTER

Though we often associate government with excessive regulation, in a surprising twist, the Wisconsin legislature is considering a much needed measure to deregulate. AB 116 would prevent all cities, villages, towns, and counties in Wisconsin from enacting any new occupational fees or licensing requirements. One interesting added feature to the bil ...

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Supreme Court agrees to hear PLF "relevant parcel" case

January 15, 2016 | By JOHN GROEN

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 ...

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PLF files opening brief at Supreme Court in Murr v. Wisconsin

April 11, 2016 | By JOHN GROEN

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 … ...

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Amici line up in support of the Murr family

April 19, 2016 | By JOHN GROEN

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 ...

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PLF files its Supreme Court reply brief in Murr v. Wisconsin

July 29, 2016 | By JOHN GROEN

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. … ...

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Minerva Dairy challenges Wisconsin’s anti-competitive artisanal butter ban

April 20, 2017 | By JOSHUA THOMPSON

This morning, Minerva Dairy and its President, Adam Mueller, challenged a Wisconsin law that bans butter from being sold within Wisconsin if it hasn’t first been “graded.” Wisconsin’s law prevents butter makers outside of Wisconsin from selling their products in that state unless they first go through the arduous and cost pr ...

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Wisconsin Supreme Court to hear public trust case

May 24, 2017 | By JEREMY TALCOTT

An interesting public trust case will be heard in the Wisconsin Supreme Court that has some potentially significant ramifications. Like many lawsuits, it starts with a dispute between neighboring landowners (who also happen to be brother and sister). At issue is whether or not a landowner that owns property adjacent to a flowage (a special kind o ...

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Preliminary injunction sought against Wisconsin's artisanal butter ban

June 07, 2017 | By JOSHUA THOMPSON

This morning PLF filed a motion for preliminary injunction in our challenge to Wisconsin’s artisanal butter ban. It has been nearly four months since Wisconsin first told our client, Minerva Dairy, that its Amish-churned butter was not welcome in the state. And, as near as we can tell, there’s little hope of regulatory reform coming fr ...