Findlaw Case Summaries: Constitutional Law 19. June 15-19, 2009.

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June 15-19, 2009.

U.S. Supreme Court, June 15, 2009 Polar Tankers, Inc. v. Valdez, No. 08–310 In a Tonnage Clause challenge to an Alaska ordinance imposing a personal property tax on large oil tankers, judgment for Defendant is reversed, where the ordinance was unconstitutional because it was designed to impose “a charge for the privilege of entering, trading in, or lying in a port.””

U.S. 1st Circuit Court of Appeals, June 18, 2009 LaSalle-Concepcion v. Toledo-Davila, No. 08-2048 In a 42 U.S.C. section 1983 action claiming wrongful discharge based on Plaintiff police officers’ injuries suffered on duty, the dismissal of the complaint is affirmed, where Plaintiffs had no constitutionally protected property interest in reinstatement to their positions. .

U.S. Fed. Circuit Court of Appeals, June 16, 2009 Schooner Harbor Ventures, Inc. v. US, No. 2008-5084 In a Takings Clause action claiming that the U.S. deprived Plaintiff of the beneficial use of its property, summary judgment for Defendant is reversed where Plaintiff identified a cognizable property interest, namely fee title to land that could not be developed without regulatory compliance.

Supreme Court of California, June 18, 2009 San Leandro Teachers Ass’n. v. Governing Bd., No. S156961 In a First Amendment challenge to a public school district policy prohibiting political communication via school mailboxes, the denial of the writ of mandate sought by Plaintiff is affirmed where the mailboxes were a nonpublic forum, and the regulation was content-neutral.

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