October Term 2012 · Docket 11-1447
Can a landowner sue over a permit condition that demands money instead of land improvements?
A Florida landowner seeks to challenge a permit fee as an unconstitutional exaction. The water district argues the fee is a valid regulatory requirement.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
The landowner's counsel stated the case concerns the extent of Nollan and Dolan review for excessive exactions.
The district's counsel emphasized that applying these standards would radically change standard regulatory programs.
The Solicitor General's counsel noted the parties agree Florida may require mitigation for wetland destruction.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 37-11 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 37-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 39-1 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 39-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 31-39 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 31-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 46, lines 31-7 — Transcript, file page 46, lines 31-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 25-33 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 25-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 37-37 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 37-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 15-45 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 15-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 39-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 7-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 3-23 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 3-23
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The dispute centers on whether the Nollan and Dolan legal standards apply to monetary conditions. The landowner wants to test the fee's proportionality. The district wants to preserve its regulatory authority.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 37-11 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 37-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 46, lines 31-7 — Transcript, file page 46, lines 31-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 15-45 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 15-45
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 15, 2013.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 23-25
What each side wants
The landowner wants the Court to allow a lawsuit challenging the fee as an unconstitutional exaction.
The district wants the Court to reject the lawsuit and uphold the fee as a valid regulatory condition.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 37-11 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 37-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 46, lines 31-7 — Transcript, file page 46, lines 31-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 15-45 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 15-45
What each side says
The landowner argues that Nollan and Dolan review applies to monetary conditions imposed during discretionary land-use approvals.
The district argues that applying Nollan and Dolan to general regulatory programs would radically change how agencies operate.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 37-11 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 37-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 46, lines 31-7 — Transcript, file page 46, lines 31-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 15-45 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 15-45
What the justices asked
Justice Ginsburg asked if a landowner has a claim when an agency denies a permit without requiring mitigation.
Justice Sotomayor questioned why the case is before the Court if the conservation offer was not considered mitigation.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 39-1 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 39-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 31-39 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 31-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 25-33 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 25-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 37-37 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 37-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 39-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 7-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 3-23 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 3-23
Why it matters
This case defines the scope of constitutional challenges to permit conditions. It determines whether landowners can sue over monetary demands. It affects how agencies structure land-use regulations.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 37-11 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 37-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 46, lines 31-7 — Transcript, file page 46, lines 31-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 15-45 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 15-45
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 39-1 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 39-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 31-39 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 31-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 25-33 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 25-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 37-37 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 37-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 39-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 7-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 3-23 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 3-23
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 37-11 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 37-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 46, lines 31-7 — Transcript, file page 46, lines 31-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 15-45 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 15-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 37-11 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 37-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 46, lines 31-7 — Transcript, file page 46, lines 31-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 15-45 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 15-45
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.