Kelo eminent domain plaintiffs reach deal with New London News
Kelo eminent domain plaintiffs reach deal with New London

[JURIST] Governor M. Jodi Rell [official profile] of Connecticut said Friday that a tentative agreement has been made between the city of New London and two homeowners who refused to leave their homes for a private development on their land and ultimately took their case all the way to the US Supreme Court. Susette Kelo and Pasquale Cristofaro risked forced eviction under eminent domain [JURIST news archive] doctrine if they did not reach an agreement with the city. Rell indicated in a statement [text] that the deal should be complete by the end of June.

The Supreme Court [official website] ruled in Kelo v. New London [text] last June held that the city could expropriate private property for private redevelopment [JURIST report] when the taking would economically benefit the community. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism

November 9 is the International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism [UNITED factsheet]. On November 9, 1924, American gay activist Henry Gerber and several associates formed the Society for Human Rights, the first gay rights organization in the United States. The Society received a charter from the State of Illinois in December but was disbanded in July 1925 after a police raid which led to Gerber's arrest and trial (albeit not conviction). Pay a virtual visit to Henry Gerber House, now a registered Chicago landmark.

Supreme Court strikes down Massachusetts anti-draft law

On November 9, 1970, the Supreme Court voted 6-3 in Massachusetts v. Laird not to hear the case of the state's anti-draft law. Massachusetts had passed a law, which allowed its citizens to decline to fight in any undeclared war, even if the person was drafted. The law was passed in opposition to the draft and the war in Vietnam. The First Circuit found the war constitutional and thus struck down the law.