For an excellent, detailed summary of the Half Moon Bay case that we discussed earlier, and its assessment by Joe Cotchett, one of California’s leading lawyers who happens to be a resident of Half Moon Bay, but otherise, to the best of our knowledge, has no dog in this fight, read his opinion piece. It’s a good read. Go to Google, then enter hmbreview.com, then under Half Moon Bay Review click on editorial & opinions, then click on By Joe Cotchett–Matter of Opinion.
Cotchett makes clear how the city brought the $36-plus million verdict upon itself through its arrogant disregard of the property owner’s rights, and indeed of common decency. But hey man, that’s California for you, more particularly, Northern California whose inhabitants and local officials elected by them, do not consider themselves bound by traditional American concepts of human rights, by the rule of law, and by the principles enshrined in the Constitution.