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July 16, 2020

Taking an Ancient Mound Access

The Ohio Supreme Court will hear a country club’s appeal of orders that it provides public access to the state historical agency to ancient burial mounds.   The lower courts ruled that the Ohio History Connection can reclaim the lease for the 2,000-year-old Octagon Mounds from Moundbuilders Country Club by eminent domain.   The Ohio History Connection has leased the 134-acre property to Moundbuilders where golf has been played since 1910.  The agency wants to buy back the lease and convert the property to a park to improve public access… read more

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Posted in Access, Historic Burial, Site, Uncategorized
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July 7, 2020

The Atlantic Coast Pipeline is No Mas

The natural gas project which would have crossed the Appalachian Trail has been canceled as delays and costs mount.  This blog has reported on the pipeline frequently.  See “The Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Bulldozers at Your Doorstep,” June 16, 2020.  At that time, it was noted that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Atlantic Coast Pipeline can traverse sixteen miles within the George Washington National Forest.  The case, U.S. Forest Service v Cowpasture River Prevention Assoc., 590 US ___ (2020) considered the grant of a special permit from the Forest… read more

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Posted in Appalachian Trial, Pipelines, Sioux Nation, Uncategorized
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March 10, 2020

What’s More Important, Fire Island’s Beach Replenishment or Mar-a-Lago’s Beach?

          We wrote about the Fire Island beach replenishment on August 6, 2019, “Shame on You Suffolk County: The Attempt to Steal Just Compensation.”  As was then stated, the takings on Fire Island were the result of a federal study which followed Hurricane Sandy.           The study, Inlet Stabilization Fire Island Inlet to Moriches Project Report, US Army Corps of Engineers, June 2014, stated the dune was to protect Fire Island and, in addition, the back-bay area of the South Shore opposite Fire Island.  (Ibid. 1.2.2).  It was established that… read more

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Posted in Beach Replenishment, Dune Repair, Fire Island, Uncategorized
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March 9, 2020

The Saga of the Texas Bullet Train

          The proposed Dallas to Houston bullet train spans a large area in Texas.  The train will be able to transport riders from Houston to Dallas in 90 minutes.  But the project is stalled pending approval of the Federal Railroad Administration and property owners fighting eminent domain.           According to an article in today’s “The Dallas Morning News,” the opposition arises in areas in between the cities.  Certainly, these property owners have nothing to be excited about.           Interesting is the concern voiced by many of their fear that people… read more

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Posted in Consequential Damages, Severance Damages, Texas Bullet Train, Uncategorized
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March 6, 2020

Mixing and Matching the Bill of Rights to Find Justice

          Timbs v Indiana, 139 S. Ct. 682 (2019) involved the seizure of a $42,000 Land Rover for a minor offense which had a maximum fine of $10,000.  The Supreme Court in a decision authorized by Justice Ruth Ginsburg held that the action allowed the Court to augment its Fourteenth Amendment by the “excessive fines clause” of the Eighth Amendment due process jurisprudence.  To demonstrate the importance of this protection against government’s ability to commandeer property, Justice Ginsburg traced what she called the “venerable lineage” of this protection to Magna… read more

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Posted in Eighth Amendment, Exorbitant Fines, Uncategorized
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