United States v. Causby - Legal Background, The Case At Hand, High Court Affirms, Black Dissents, Airspace Rights
property decision taking petitioner
Petitioner
United States
Respondent
Causby, et ux.
Petitioner's Claim
That overflights by military airplanes above a private farm do not constitute an appropriation of property.
Chief Lawyer for Petitioner
Walter J. Cummings, Jr.
Chief Lawyer for Respondent
William E. Comer
Justices for the Court
William O. Douglas (writing for the Court), Felix Frankfurter, Frank Murphy, Stanley Forman Reed, Wiley Blount Rutledge
Justices Dissenting
Hugo Lafayette Black, Harold Burton (Robert H. Jackson did not participate, Fred Moore Vinson not yet appointed)
Place
Washington, D.C.
Date of Decision
27 May 1946
Decision
The overflights by military planes were held to render the farm worthless and hence constitute a taking of property warranting compensation by the U.S. government.
Significance
The Supreme Court's decision in United States v. Causby expanded the protections afforded to property owners for government "taking" of their property. Whereas previous courts had interpreted the takings clause to consist of only the direct seizure of property, the Court in this decision expanded that interpretation to include taking by indirect means. Subsequent decisions would further modify this reinterpretation.
Impact
The Supreme Court's decision in United States v. Causby expanded the definition of a taking to include physical intrusion upon property by the government. In subsequent cases, the Court would limit that definition to the near total loss of property and not the mere reduction of property value. This was a definitive case.
Related Cases
- United States v. Kansas City Insurance Co., 339 U.S. 799 (1950).
- Armstrong v. United States, 364 U.S. 40 (1960).
- Griggs v. Allegheny County, 369 U.S. 84 (1962).
- Chongris v. Corrigan, 409 U.S. 919 (1972).
Sources
West's Encyclopedia of American Law. St. Paul, MN: West Group, 1998.
Further Readings
- Chandler, Ralph C. The Constitutional Law Dictionary. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-Clio, Inc., 1987.
- Cushman, Robert Fairchild with Susan P. Koniak. Leading Constitutional Decisions. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1992.
- Menez, Joseph Francis. Summaries of Leading Cases of the Constitution. Savage, MD: Littlefield, Adams, 1990.
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