Law School Case Briefs

Citation
Case Name

Start by searching for a case name or citation above.

Discover a Random Brief

Ronald Loesel v. City of Frankenmuth

Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (2012) | 692 F.3d 452; 2012 WL 3553272; 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 17441

4 min read

TL;DR: Landowners sued a city, alleging a zoning ordinance passed to block a Wal-Mart on their property violated their equal protection rights. The court reversed a jury verdict for the landowners, finding insufficient evidence of animus against them personally, as opposed to the proposed development.

Legal Significance: This case clarifies the high burden for "class-of-one" equal protection claims in the zoning context, establishing that animus against a proposed development (e.g., Wal-Mart) is not legally sufficient; the plaintiff must prove the government acted with animus toward the landowner personally.