When first approached to write a book about Litigating Religious Land Use Cases in 2010, my initial reaction was how hard can it be to write a book. You simply collect your thoughts and put them together into a package that is both interesting and helpful. Two years later I completed the first draft of the book and realized that writing a book is a very time difficult process. The following two years became rounds of editing, peer review, updating and finally publishing in 2014. After it went to print, I thought that I would never, ever, write another book.
However, a few weeks after the book was released, and after friends and customers read the book, suggestions for a new edition started to come in. In addition, federal Court’s issued significant decisions on Religious Land Use that have changed the nature of the case law. I soon realized that the book could be significantly better if I added in the new cases and addressed the recommended new sections from my land use attorney colleagues. Therefore, I started working on a new edition last year. After completing the draft, and having it go through editing and peer review, I am proud to announce that the Second Edition of Litigating Religious Land Use Cases is in the final stages of publication. A new edition should be available in August 2016.
This new edition has a revamped chapter addressing the RLUIPA claims under each element of the statute. In addition, the book includes an updated and enlarged section of additional claims that can be raised in the context of religious land use.
In addition, the appendix was added to include three very important sections.
- First, I have included the text of the RLUIPA statute, something almost every person asked me to do.
- Second, I have included a chart of every single RLUIPA land use case decided, breaking down the elements, whether a claims was justiciable or not, and the success of the claims.
- The third and final part of the appendix is the leading law review articles covering RLUIPA – some of which pre-date the statute.
I hope that you find this resource helpful. Please keep the comments coming: I just may work on a third edition of the book some day.
