Case Summary
Issue:
Whether the federal government may seize private property without paying just compensation?
Plaintiff:
Marvin M. Brandt; Marvin M. Brandt Revocable Trust
Defendant:
United States of America
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Case History
On February 25, 1904, pursuant to the General Railroad Right-of-Way Act, the Laramie, Hahns Peak and Pacific Railroad Company filed with the U.S. Department of the Interior and thus, in 1908, acquired a 200-foot by 66-mile right-of-way from Laramie, Wyoming, to the Colorado State line. The railroad operated until September 1995. In May 1996, the owner, the Wyoming and Colorado Railroad Company, filed a Notice of Intent to Abandon Rail Service from the State line to near Laramie, Wyoming. It removed the track and ties in 1999 and 2000; service was terminated at the end of 2003.
The land along the railroad right-of-way was reserved from the public domain by presidential proclamation and became part of the Medicine Bow National Forest. Thus, the private land areas of Albany, Fox Park, and Mountain Home along the right-of-way were acquired after the establishment of the railroad and are subject to it. At Albany, private lots were platted over the right-of-way and the land conveyed subject to the railroad easement.
Mr. Marvin Brandt owns 83 acres of private land patented to him on February 18, 1976, as part of a land exchange with the U.S. Forest Service. In April 2005, the Forest Service issued a notice of its plans to convert the rail way into a public trail. On July 14, 2006, the United States filed a complaint for declaratory judgment of abandonment and to quiet title to the right-of-way along the abandoned railroad line. On March 3, 2009, the Wyoming federal district court rejected Mr. Brandt’s assertion that the United States possessed no interest in the easement and that the land reverted to him. On March 4, 2009, the district court dismissed Mr. Brandt’s takings counterclaim.
On April 28, 2009, Mr. Brandt filed his complaint. On June 29, 2009, the United States filed a motion to dismiss. After the motion to dismiss was briefed, the Court of Claims stayed the takings case pending a decision from the Tenth Circuit in United States v. Wyoming and Colorado Railroad Company. Within 15 days of the Tenth Circuit’s decision, the parties are to file a joint status report recommending further proceedings.
On October 27, 2009, the Court stayed the case pending final action in United States v. Wyoming and Colorado Railroad Company in the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.
On June 29, 2011, the United States filed a motion to lift the stay to allow the Court of Federal Claims to determine whether it has subject-matter jurisdiction over the suit and filed another motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction. On August 1, 2011, Mr. Brandt filed a response to the motion to lift the stay and the motion to dismiss to which the United States replied on August 11, 2011 and August 18, 2011.
On November 22, 2011, oral arguments were conducted before the Court of Federal Claims. On November 30, 2011, the court dismissed Mr. Brandt’s lawsuit. On March 19, 2012, Mr. Brand filed his opening brief at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C. On August 10, 2012, oral arguments were held.
