Can the government take your land just because they don’t like you? That’s happening to Brinkmann’s Hardware, a beloved local store in Long Island. After a lengthy fight, the town of Southhold, NY is now trying to take their land away through eminent domain—all to protect another business from competition. Today we talk with Hank Brinkmann and IJ Senior Attorney Jeff Redfern about how Brinkmann’s Hardware went from a small family shop to a champion of property rights—and their path all the way to the Supreme Court.
related case
Family-Owned Hardware Store Sues Long Island Town Trying to Take Away their Property
The Brinkmann family owns hardware stores in Long Island and purchased property with the hope of opening a new store. The town now wants to take the land through eminent domain, simply because they don’t want another store. With the help of IJ, the Brinkmanns are fighting back against this unconstitutional tactic.
Recent Episodes
Judges: Activist, Minimalist, or Something Else?
You might think constitutional lawsuits work like this: Find an unconstitutional law, challenge it in court, and if the law is truly unconstitutional, the court […]
Listen NowFBI Raids Wrong House - No Remorse for Victims
In 2017, FBI agents, with guns drawn and a flashbang grenade, burst into the Atlanta home of Trina Martin, her then seven-year-old son Gabe, and […]
Listen Now14th Amendment: Securing Our Rights Against Tyranny
First enacted to ensure southern states respected the rights of newly freed slaves, the 14th Amendment is indispensable to modern civil rights litigation. But what […]
Listen NowEXCESSIVE FINE: $100k for Parking on Your Grass
$29,000 for overgrown grass. $16,000 for cracks in the driveway. $100,000 for parking incorrectly on your own property. These are some of the outrageous fines […]
Listen Now