Jul 23, 2026
On July 23, 2026, Pacific Legal Foundation and Justly Prudent filed a petition for writ of certiorari asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case of Garnell Walls.
Walls bought a lot in Brandywine, Maryland in 1978. He spent his working life as a mechanic repairing Prince George's County police cars, fire engines, and ambulances, and he planned to build a retirement home on that land. He is retired now, and on disability. The lot is still empty.
Between 2019 and 2021, Walls spent close to $40,000 on permits, a hydrological study, soil testing, and a conservation easement. The County approved his building permits. One step remained: water and sewer. The nearest public lines are far enough away that connecting would cost more than $2 million, so Walls asked to install a private well and septic system, the same setup two neighbors already had. The County refused.
Walls sued in 2023, arguing the County had taken his property without paying for it. No court has ruled on whether that is true. Instead, the district court and the Fourth Circuit held the case came too early, because Walls had not first asked the County Council to change the rule blocking him. And a separate declaratory judgment action filed in Maryland Circuit Court was likewise dismissed on ripeness grounds; the case has been scheduled for oral arguments in the Appellate Court of Maryland.
The petition to the U.S. Supreme Court asks the Justices whether property owners must lobby lawmakers before they can go to court.
For more information, read the official press release at: https://www.justlyprudent.com/press-releases/supreme-court-takings-petition-filed-in-homeowners-case-against-prince-georges-county.