Hawaii gas ruling [US SC] News
Hawaii gas ruling [US SC]

Lingle v. Chevron USA, Supreme Court of the United States, Justice O'Connor, May 23, 2005 [ruling that the state of Hawaii did not overstep its authority by imposing caps on the rent paid by dealer-run gas stations in an effort to keep gas prices stable]. Excerpt:

For the foregoing reasons, we conclude that the "substantially advances" formula announced in Agins is not a valid method of identifying regulatory takings for which the Fifth Amendment requires just compensation. Since Chevron argued only a "substantially advances" theory insupport of its takings claim, it was not entitled to summary judgment on that claim.

Read the full text of the opinion here [PDF]. Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Supreme Court ruled corporations due equal protection rights

On May 10, 1886, the US Supreme Court ruled in Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad Company that corporations were "persons" within the terms of the Fourteenth Amendment, and therefore were due rights of equal protection under state law.

Nelson Mandela became first black president of South Africa

On May 10, 1994, Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as the first black President of South Africa. Before becoming President, Mandela was an anti-Apartheid leader in segregated South Africa. He served twenty-seven years in prison before his release in 1990, after which he was elected president of the country. Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.

Read a biography of Nelson Mandela from the Nobel Foundation.