Drinks Are On the House

A happy day in Baltimore: A judge has stopped the city from seizing a bar:

Citing last year's Supreme Court ruling that affirmed government's right to seize private property for economic development, [Judge John Philip] Miller wrote that Kelo v. New London showed that to take property for economic development, a city must show "a carefully considered development plan."

Baltimore, the judge ruled, did not.

Institute for Justice Senior Attorney Scott Bullock, who argued Kelo before the Supreme Court on behalf of the property owners and was aware of Baltimore's Charles North case, said it shows how in the aftermath of Kelo, courts are increasingly scrutinizing property seizure cases.

"It demonstrates that the courts are now embarking to set their own course when it comes to eminent domain abuse," Bullock said. "It seemed like this case was so egregious and so sloppy."

In other Baltimore, bar, and business news, one of our local taverns is selling its liquor license on eBay.

Elsewhere in Reason: Our post-Kelo interview with Bullock is here.