The Star-Telegram notes that the SCOTUS may be leaning toward the city: The justices — two were absent — seemed reluctant to stop local governments from taking private property and then turning it over to other private property owners for development. Because the new development will pay more taxes and perhaps create jobs, the reasoning […]

Kevin notes that things are not going well for the plaintiffs. ScotusBlog notes: Marty reports that, based on the impression left by the oral arguments, the government-side is going to win today’s property rights cases overwhelmingly. In Kelo, the plaintiffs may get as many as three votes: Scalia; Thomas (who did not ask any questions); […]

Today, the Supreme Court will hear the case of Kelo v. New London, which is arguably the most important property rights case in recent years. The Post Gazette has two articles on the issue. The first notes: It has been 50 years since the U.S. Supreme Court adopted an expansive view of the power of […]

Good read at CNSNews on the tyranny of eminent domain and how the Kelo case will determine the future of property rights in America: The seizures and transfers, the government says, are in “the public interest” — because they will lead to more jobs for New London residents and more tax dollars for the government. […]

With five days to go before the Supreme Court hears what is arguably the most important property rights case in recent history, it’s worth noting that over 30 municipalities filed friend of the court briefs in support of taking private property from owners to turn over to private developers.

Here’s an article that looks at another case of Eminent Domain abuse cases headed to the Supreme Court. It also addresses the problem: Court rulings have stretched the definition of “public use,” adding urban blight and job creation to the original goals of acquiring land for highways, public schools, and the like. Ohio law says […]

Here’s a good rundown of the pending eminent domain case that is to be heard by the Supreme Court.

So, Obama has nominated Elena Kagan to fill the slot. I know nothing of her and a quick google doesn’t really yield much. On guns, I find only the following: Regarding gun laws, Kagan says she has “no reason to believe that the court’s analysis was faulty” in the 2008 Supreme Court case striking down […]

Another look at the WSOP and taxes. Eastgate has moved to London, possibly to avoid the ridiculous tax. In other news, regulators have simply given up trying to enforce Bill Frist’s onerous Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.

Could be something – could be nothing: United Airlines flight 923 from London to Washington D.C. was diverted to land at Logan Airport due to a disturbance on the plane. A pilot declared a security emergency and three passengers had a confrontation with the flight crew. And: WRKO (680 AM) is reporting that a woman, […]

BB&T, a bank that operates locally, says: BB&T Corporation today said it will not lend to commercial developers that plan to build condominiums, shopping malls and other private projects on land taken from private citizens by government entities using eminent domain. The commercial lending policy change comes in the wake of Kelo v. City of […]

Turns out the guy the London police shot wasn’t nefarious at all and the police lied about it. Not only did an officer admit to leaving his surveillance post but CCTV contradicts their account: CCTV footage shows that Mr de Menezes was wearing a thin denim jacket that could not conceal a bomb, and he […]

London police shot a man who was wearing heavy coat. According to the radio, witnesses report they chased the man and he fell. Police then held him down and then someone shot him. Could be bad. If he was actually a bomber, good. However, if he was just some smart-ass in a heavy coat, this […]

Fox News says so: Three London Underground stations were evacuated at midday Thursday, and the London police commissioner confirmed that four explosions occurred in the subway and on a bus. The Fire Brigade was investigating a report of smoke at one station.

If you haven’t heard, the news was reporting (at last count) 7 explosions throughout London. Some formerly unknown group claiming ties with Al Qaeda has said it was responsible. My thoughts are with the Brits.

And his case will continue: A New London judge has let a disabled man continue his lawsuit seeking to overturn the state’s new gun law limiting assault weapon ownership. Scott Ennis, of New London, has a bleeding condition that causes him severe joint damage and says he needs to use weapons that have features, such […]

All that trouble for nothing: New London May Build Townhouses on Site of Kelo Takings

Dammit, you’re too smart: A Federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by a man who was barred from the New London police force because he scored too high on an intelligence test. In a ruling made public on Tuesday, Judge Peter C. Dorsey of the United States District Court in New Haven agreed that the […]

The fifth panel of the first chapter of Shooting War has a good condemnation of Kelo v. New London. Good to see the issue raised, even if they cast it as a battle in the war against corporatism, rather than a fight over property rights. The comic itself is a serialized graphic novel about a […]

Some good news: In a rare display of unanimity that cuts across partisan and geographic lines, lawmakers in virtually every statehouse across the country are advancing bills and constitutional amendments to limit use of the government’s power of eminent domain to seize private property for economic development purposes. The measures are in direct response to […]

You can’t make this stuff up: Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson wants to dispel “innacuracies (sic) and stereotypes” about the use of eminent domain for economic development, a practice the U.S. Supreme Court upheld in last year’s notorious Kelo v. New London decision. Last fall Peterson told a Senate subcommittee that when the government threatens to […]

From the Department of Duh: Americans remain strongly committed to protecting private property from the possibility of unjust seizure, according to the results of a nationwide survey released today by the American Farm Bureau Federation during the organization’s annual convention. The poll shows, regardless of geographical, partisan and other demographic differences, Americans are unified nearly […]

In Knoxville, Councilman Steve Hall proposed a charter amendment that would have required a seven-vote majority from the nine-member board to approve any and all condemnations by the city. The measure was defeated by a vote of 1-8: Councilman Steve Hall, the measure’s sole sponsor, had argued that city agencies that would use such power, […]

BizzyBlog has a run down of recent events. Most recently: After a campaign focusing on rising taxes and the eminent domain controversy, New London voters have sliced the Democrats’ City Council majority from three to one. The upstart One New London Party won two council seats, losing a third seat by only 19 votes. The […]

The Kelo story gets a bit more interesting: The city council has voted to sever ties with the quasi-public development authority at the center of a national debate over eminent domain powers. The council voted 6-0 Monday night to revoke the designation of the New London Development Corp. as the city’s “implementing agency” for its […]

A few interesting eminent domain issues since the Kelo decision: First, heh. Bubba (sorry, but R. Neal doesn’t quite roll off the keyboard yet) details some of TVA’s eminent domain dealings past and present: As part of the great Rural Electrification of the 1930s under FDR, the Tennessee Valley Authority was founded to control flooding, […]

or maybe not. I’ve not done a lot of Eminent Domain blogging since the SCOTUS Kelo ruling. That’s mostly because it depresses me at this point. However, there is some good news. It is that battling eminent domain abuse is popping up all over: In Connecticut: The Zoning Commission and Board of Selectmen are asking […]

You know, there are very few instances that make me think someone should be taken out to the woodshed and have the absolute Hell beaten out of them. However, this is one: “It’s a new definition of chutzpah: Confiscate land and charge back rent for the years the owners fought confiscation.” Fight them and they […]

And it’s a pretty bad one too: “The president and his right-wing Supreme Court think it is ‘okay’ to have the government take your house if they feel like putting a hotel where your house is,” Dean said, not mentioning that until he nominated John Roberts to the Supreme Court this week, Bush had not […]

Heh. Weare, New Hampshire (PRWEB) Could a hotel be built on the land owned by Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter? A new ruling by the Supreme Court which was supported by Justice Souter himself itself might allow it. A private developer is seeking to use this very law to build a hotel on Souter’s […]