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Article
Use of Motive Evidence in Judicial Review of Rezonings
Environmental Law Reporter
  • Michael Allen Dymersky, Furey, Doolan & Abell, L.L.P.
  • Jesse Richardson, West Virginia University College of Law
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-1-2007
College/Unit
WVU College of Law
Abstract

In this Article, Michael Allen Dymersky and Jesse J Richardson Jr examine the widespread rule of judicial review that a court should not consider evidence of motive in reviewing legislative actions by local government. They evaluate the rule in the context of a rezoning case in Highland County, Virginia, in which a group of plaintiffs conclusively established that improper motive prompted one supervisor to vote in favor of rezoning the subject property. The Highland County Circuit Court invoked the rule against judicial review of motive evidence to foreclose any consideration of the admitted improper personal motives that had inspired that particular rezoning. The authors conclude that the rule against judicial review of motive evidence has outlived its usefulness in the context of rezonings and urge a legislative intervention.

Source Citation
37 Envtl. L. Rep. 10472
Comments

This article is included in the Research Repository @WVU with the permission of the Environmental Law Reporter.

Citation Information
Michael Allen Dymersky and Jesse Richardson. "Use of Motive Evidence in Judicial Review of Rezonings" Environmental Law Reporter (2007)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/jesse-richardson/33/