Dolan v. City of Tigard [1994]

512 U.S. 374 (1994) · Supreme Court of the United States · United States

Property Law (Real Property)property-lawProperty Law (Real Property)Eminent domain; Rough proportionality

Issue

Whether the city must show a rough proportionality between the dedicated land and the impact of the development.

Held

Yes; the city must make an individualized determination that the required dedication is related both in nature and extent to the impact.

Exam use

In an exam, introduce Dolan v. City of Tigard with the citation only if you can remember it accurately; otherwise use the case name and court, then focus on the rule and application. A strong answer should say what Dolan v. City of Tigard decided, why the facts mattered, and how the authority helps resolve the new facts. Avoid treating the case as a decorative reference. Use it to prove a doctrinal step in Eminent domain; Rough proportionality, then move quickly to analysis.

Summary

Dolan v. City of Tigard is included in the Property Law (Real Property) case database because it gives students a concrete authority for Eminent domain; Rough proportionality. The reported citation is 512 U.S. 374 (1994), and the decision is associated with Supreme Court of the United States. In revision, treat the case as a way to connect the legal issue to a real dispute rather than as an abstract rule. The key exam move is to state the holding, identify the fact pattern that made the rule matter, and then decide whether a new problem question should apply, distinguish, or limit the authority.

Facts

The material factual signal for Dolan v. City of Tigard is: City granted a permit to expand a store conditioned on dedicating part of the land for a greenway and bike path. Students should read the linked source and turn that signal into a short fact table: parties, transaction or public-law setting, procedural posture, conduct in dispute, and the fact the court treated as decisive. This prevents vague case-dropping. In an answer on Property Law (Real Property), use the facts to explain why Eminent domain; Rough proportionality was live, then compare the problem facts against the facts in the case before stating any conclusion.

Procedural History

Dolan v. City of Tigard is reported as a decision of Supreme Court of the United States. The procedural route should be checked against the linked source before formal citation. For study notes, record whether the decision was an appeal, judicial review, trial judgment, tribunal ruling, or constitutional/application proceeding, because that posture affects how confidently the rule can be used.

Issue

Whether the city must show a rough proportionality between the dedicated land and the impact of the development.

Held

Yes; the city must make an individualized determination that the required dedication is related both in nature and extent to the impact.

Ratio Decidendi

Permit conditions must be roughly proportional to the impact of the development; the burden is on the government.

Obiter Dicta

Check the linked source for concurring, dissenting, or obiter observations before quoting this case. If the case includes non-binding reasoning, use it as persuasive support rather than as the core rule.

Reasoning

For reasoning, start with the ratio: Permit conditions must be roughly proportional to the impact of the development; the burden is on the government. Then read the source and separate three things: the legal test, the facts used to apply that test, and any policy or institutional reason the court gave. This structure makes Dolan v. City of Tigard easier to use in essays and problem questions. In Property Law (Real Property), the case should be compared with related authorities on Eminent domain; Rough proportionality; if the jurisdiction, statute, or procedural posture differs from the exam problem, explain that limit explicitly instead of treating the authority as automatic.

Plain-English Explanation

Plainly, Dolan v. City of Tigard is a case to use when a Property Law (Real Property) answer needs an authority on Eminent domain; Rough proportionality. Do not just list it. Explain the problem the court had to solve, the rule or holding it used, and the fact that made the result persuasive. That turns the case from a memorised name into evidence for your legal analysis.

Essay-Ready Explanation Generator

Version 1 of 4

Reference to Dolan v. City of Tigard (512 U.S. 374 (1994)) strengthens a Property Law (Real Property) answer because the case reflects the principle that Permit conditions must be roughly proportional to the impact of the development; the burden is on the government. Applied to a problem question, the case should be used after identifying the issue as Whether the city must show a rough proportionality between the dedicated land and the impact of the development. The stronger essay move is to connect the material facts to the court's holding, then explain whether the present facts support the same conclusion or justify distinguishing the authority.

Underlying Concepts

  • property-law
  • Property Law (Real Property)
  • Eminent domain; Rough proportionality
  • case authority
  • exam application

Key Passages

  • Verify exact wording in the linked source before quoting.

Significance

Dolan v. City of Tigard is significant for LawConquer users because it supplies a named authority for Eminent domain; Rough proportionality in Property Law (Real Property). The case can anchor a paragraph, support a rule statement, or provide a contrast point when another authority points the other way. Its practical value is strongest when the student links the holding to the material facts and then explains whether the present problem is analogous or distinguishable.

Related Cases

No related cases listed.

Exam Tips

In an exam, introduce Dolan v. City of Tigard with the citation only if you can remember it accurately; otherwise use the case name and court, then focus on the rule and application. A strong answer should say what Dolan v. City of Tigard decided, why the facts mattered, and how the authority helps resolve the new facts. Avoid treating the case as a decorative reference. Use it to prove a doctrinal step in Eminent domain; Rough proportionality, then move quickly to analysis.

Revision Checklist

  • Name the issue before discussing facts so the marker sees the legal question immediately.
  • State the holding in one sentence, then use the ratio to explain why the court reached that result.
  • Use the citation and jurisdiction to show why this authority matters for the problem you are answering.
  • Pair this case with one supporting or contrasting authority if the question tests limits, policy, or exceptions.

Problem Question Use

Use Dolan v. City of Tigard in a problem question by matching the factual trigger to the new scenario. If the fact pattern aligns with City granted a permit to expand a store conditioned on dedicating part of the land for a greenway and bike path., apply the ratio and explain the likely result. If a crucial fact, jurisdiction, statute, or procedural posture differs, distinguish the case and use it as a boundary rather than a controlling answer.

Common Pitfalls

  • Name-dropping the case without applying the facts
  • Ignoring jurisdiction or procedural posture
  • Quoting without checking the linked source

Sources