Frank Michelman

Infobox Person
name = Frank I. Michelman


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birth_name = Frank I. Michelman
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education = Yale University B.A. 1957, History
Harvard Law School LL.B. 1960

employer = Harvard Law School
occupation = Robert Walmsley University Professor

Frank Michelman is a Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard Law School. He wrote the famous law review article, "Property, Utility and Fairness," (80 Harv. L. Rev. 1165 (1967)) on the economic reasons for just compensation in the 5th Amendment "Takings" clause to the United States Constitution. This article was cited by the majority in its opinion in Penn Central v. New York City, the Supreme Court case that dealt with the authority of a local New York City landmark law that forbade the railroad company from putting up a skyscraper above the historic Grand Central Terminal structure. Michelman's analysis relies on evaluating whether the nuisance costs and value to society were worth it.

Michelman served as Vice-President of the American Society for Political and Legal Philosophy 1994-96 and as its President, 1998-2001.

In November 2007, Frank Michelman will be a Distinguished Visitor at the American Academy in Berlin, Germany.

External links

* [http://www.law.harvard.edu/faculty/directory/facdir.php?id=43 Michelman's Bio at Harvard Law School's website]