Federal & State Court Decisions
- Jackson v. United States, (Federal Court of Claims, 2017). Determined that the federal government was liable to compensate dozens of landowners in Newton County, Georgia for taking their land underlying an abandoned railroad right-of-way and authorizing it for conversion to a public recreational trail.
- Boyer v. United States, (Federal Court of Claims, 2015). Determined that the federal government was liable to compensate dozens of landowners in Benton County, Oregon for taking their land underlying an abandoned railroad right-of-way and authorizing it for conversion to a public recreational trail. The Boyer case was the first case to successfully bring a Fifth Amendment claim against the federal government for a taking under the National Trails System Act for property in the State of Oregon.
- Hodges v. United States (Federal Court of Claims). Determined that the federal government was liable to compensate dozens of landowners in Ionia, Montcalm, and Kent counties in Michigan for taking their land underlying an abandoned railroad right-of-way and authorizing it for conversion to a public recreational trail.
- Biery v. United States, Pankratz v. United States, and Bishop v. United States (Federal Court of Claims). Determined that the federal government was liable to compensate dozens of landowners in Reno and Butler counties in Kansas for taking their land underlying an abandoned railroad right-of-way and authorizing it for conversion to a public recreational trail.
- Palmer Ranch v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue Service,T.C. Memo 2014-79 (U.S. Tax Court 2013), affirmed, 812 F. 3d 982 (11th Cir. 2016). U.S. Tax Court trial involving an $83 million dispute with the IRS. The IRS disallowed the donation. After a two-week trial, the IRS lost. After an appeal in the Eleventh Circuit, the IRS lost again. On appeal, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals granted additional relief to Palmer Ranch over and above what the Tax Court rewarded.
