Land Use

Future Forward: How lawyers can embrace sustainability

Sustainable development means more than “being green,” says John Dernbach, an emeritus professor at Widener University Commonwealth Law School and the founding director of its Environmental Law and Sustainability Center. Rather, he says, sustainable development balances environmental protection, economic development and social justice.

Apr 1, 2025 3:00 AM CDT

Who is the real Roger Pearce? Successful lawyer used assumed name for more than 50 years

A successful land use and zoning attorney living in a $1.4 million condo with his wife in Seattle was sentenced last week to two years of probation for making a false statement when he sought to renew his passport.

Nov 25, 2024 2:38 PM CST

Lawyer accused of exploiting elderly client is found liable for $26M in malpractice case

Trials & Litigation

Oct 7, 2024 2:51 PM CDT

Lawyer awarded $3.3M after crashing snowmobile into negligently parked Army helicopter

A federal judge in Massachusetts has awarded $3.3 million in damages to a lawyer for injuries suffered when he crashed his snowmobile into a camouflaged U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter parked on a snowmobile trail at dusk.

Sep 26, 2024 2:28 PM CDT

Could construction-permit fees be exempt from takings analysis? Supreme Court to decide

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether a legislatively imposed road-construction fee of more than $23,000, which was required for a building permit, may be an unconstitutional taking.

Sep 29, 2023 2:40 PM CDT

Could abortion clinics be placed on federal land? Law prof who proposed it sees some risks

Some Democrats and academics are proposing that the Biden administration place abortion clinics on land under exclusive federal control within states with laws that ban the procedure.

Jul 20, 2022 9:22 AM CDT

Riverfront property owners can’t kayak past neighboring properties, state supreme court rules

Fossil hunters who own property along the Mazon River in Illinois can’t kayak past the homes of other riverfront property owners absent permission, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled last week.

Jun 22, 2022 10:10 AM CDT

Troubled Waters

As interest in outdoor recreation has surged, more people are clashing with property owners over the right to be on the waterways. The conflict over the uses of—and even the definitions of—public and private space is a legal conundrum bedeviling locales across the country.

Feb 1, 2022 4:00 AM CST

Can real estate disclosure laws protect buyers from the supernatural?

Real estate agent Nancy Blaker Weber is no stranger to old ghost stories swirling around a grand Victorian house nestled on the banks of the Hudson River in Nyack, New York. Decades ago, the family living in it reported levitations, apparitions and other strange happenings. But that didn’t stop Blaker Weber from selling the home for a third time in June.

Oct 28, 2021 2:47 PM CDT

3rd Circuit revives Second Amendment challenge to zoning restrictions on gun club

A federal appeals court on Tuesday said a federal judge should take another look at a Second Amendment challenge to a Pennsylvania township’s zoning restrictions on “sportsman’s clubs” shooting ranges.

Aug 18, 2021 10:00 AM CDT

Florida resident loses First Amendment appeal in suit over rejection of his mansion plans

A federal appeals court has rejected constitutional claims by a Florida resident who sued when a town rejected his plans for a new beachfront mansion that would be dissimilar to nearby homes.

Jun 9, 2021 1:20 PM CDT

Judge says landlord should pay $17K for threatening to call ICE on tenant; decision could be a first

An administrative law judge in New York City ruled earlier this month that a landlord should pay a $5,000 fine and $12,000 in damages for threatening to call U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on a tenant who was in the country illegally.

Sep 23, 2019 1:01 PM CDT

State lawmakers consider right to grow front yard veggies after couple’s court loss

A couple’s appellate loss in their quest to grow a front yard vegetable garden has attracted the attention of Florida lawmakers. The Florida Senate passed a bill in March that would bar counties and municipalities from regulating vegetable gardens on residential properties, report the Miami Herald, Treehugger.com and the Tallahassee…

Apr 16, 2019 8:00 AM CDT