Barron v. Mayor & City Council of Baltimore
United States Supreme Court
32 U.S. (7 Pet.) 243 (1833)
Relevant factsFree
Wharf owner John Barron (plaintiff) sued the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore (defendants), alleging the city's street-construction work diverted streams and made the water around his wharf too shallow for boats, destroying his business, and sought compensation under the Fifth Amendment's Takings Clause. The Maryland Court of Appeals ruled for the city, and Barron sought Supreme Court review.
IssueFree
Whether a city may undertake construction that destroys an individual's property without providing just compensation under the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment.