United States Supreme Court accepts new PLF case

October 05, 2012 | By PAUL BEARD

We are pleased to report that the U.S. Supreme Court today granted review in St. Johns River Water Management District v. Koontz.

We represent the Koontz family, which tried to develop their Florida land, but were denied a permit by the government after they refused to submit to conditions requiring them to improve off-site public infrastructure.  The case is a follow-up to another PLF Supreme Court case, Nollan v. California Coastal Commission, which held that the United States Constitution prohibits governments from imposing extortionate conditions on property owners’ right to use and develop their properties.  The case considers the extent to which Nollan should apply to protect property owners.

This will be the eighth PLF case taken up by the Supreme Court since PLF’s founding in 1973–and comes on the heels of another case–Sackett v. EPA–which resulted in a unanimous decision in our client’s favor.