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Kelo v. City of New London Case Brief
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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: The Supreme Court held that a city could take non-blighted private property through eminent domain and transfer it to a private developer for economic revitalization. The Court ruled that projected public benefits, such as new jobs and increased tax revenue, qualified as a valid “public use.”
Legal Significance: The decision significantly broadened the Fifth Amendment’s “public use” requirement to encompass economic development. By applying a highly deferential rational-basis review, the Court affirmed that a taking for a private entity is permissible if it serves a conceivable public purpose, such as projected economic growth.
Kelo v. City of New London Law School Study Guide
Use this case brief structure for your own legal analysis. Focus on the IRAC methodology to excel in law school exams and cold calls.
Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
The city of New London, Connecticut, a municipality designated as economically distressed, approved a comprehensive development plan to revitalize its waterfront area. The plan was prompted by the decision of Pfizer Inc. to build a major research facility nearby. The New London Development Corporation (NLDC), a private nonprofit entity acting on behalf of the city, was tasked with implementing the plan, which projected the creation of jobs, an increase in tax revenues, and the general revitalization of the area. The plan required the acquisition of 90 acres of privately owned land. The NLDC successfully purchased most of the properties but sought to use eminent domain to acquire the remaining parcels from unwilling owners, including petitioners Susette Kelo and Wilhelmina Dery. The petitioners’ properties were not blighted or in poor condition; they were condemned solely because they were located within the geographic boundaries of the integrated development project. The petitioners sued, arguing the taking of their property for private development violated the “public use” restriction of the Fifth Amendment’s Takings Clause.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: Does the taking of private, non-blighted property for the purpose of economic development, which will then be transferred to another private party, satisfy the “public use” requirement of the Fifth Amendment’s Takings Clause?
Yes. The city’s proposed disposition of the property qualifies as a “public Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod te
IRAC Legal Analysis
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IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) is the exact format professors want to see in your exam answers. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full briefs combine holding, analysis, and rule statements formatted to match what A+ students produce in exams. These structured briefs help reinforce the essential legal reasoning patterns expected in law school.
Legal Issue
Does the taking of private, non-blighted property for the purpose of economic development, which will then be transferred to another private party, satisfy the “public use” requirement of the Fifth Amendment’s Takings Clause?
Conclusion
Kelo establishes that economic development is a permissible "public use" under the Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore
Legal Rule
A sovereign's exercise of eminent domain satisfies the "public use" requirement of Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse ci
Legal Analysis
Writing for the majority, Justice Stevens affirmed the Court's long-standing policy of Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo conseq
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Flash Summary
- Holding: A city’s taking of private property for economic development, as
