Supreme Court Historical Society Airing of "Little Pink House" (2017 Movie About Kelo v. City of New London), with Me as Commentator

This April 11 event is free and open to the public.

Catherine Keener as Susette Kelo in "Little Pink House."

 

On April 11, in Washington DC, the Supreme Court Historical Society will do a free public showing of Little Pink House, the 2017 movie based on the story of Kelo v. City of New London, the controversial 2005 Supreme Court decision in which a 5-4 majority ruled that it is permissible for the government to condemn homes in order to promote "economic development." I will be commenting on the movie and taking audience questions. Registration is free and open to the public, here. Come one, come all! I look forward to meeting any Volokh Conspiracy readers who come.

My book The Grasping Hand: Kelo v. City of New London and the Limits of Eminent Domain was the first book about the case by a legal scholar. Justice John Paul Stevens, author of the majority opinion, later admitted that I had pointed out a key error in his reasoning (though he continued to believe he got the bottom-line outcome right).

I had a small role as an unpaid consultant to the producers of the movie (my first and only Hollywood credit!). I reviewed the film here. It's one of the better movies ever made about a Supreme Court case, though it unavoidably simplifies some of the legal issues at stake.