Opinion ID: 212189
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Prior Court Proceedings Leading to the Instant Appeal

Text: 13 On October 27, 1995, prior to the enactment of amended Section 640, Appellants filed suit against the Government in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, seeking mandamus, injunctive, and declaratory relief against the GAO for its inactivity on their administrative claims. Following the enactment of amended Section 640, Appellants twice supplemented their complaint to challenge the constitutionality of original Section 640 and amended Section 640 under the Due Process and Takings Clauses of the Fifth Amendment. 14 On October 12, 1996, the district court granted summary judgment in favor of the Government. Adams v. Bowsher, 946 F.Supp. 37 (D.D.C.1996). The district court addressed Appellants' due process arguments, ultimately concluding that neither Section 640 nor amended Section 640 violated the Due Process Clause. As to Appellants' takings claim, the district court concluded that a compensable taking did not occur, based upon the three factors set forth for regulatory takings in Connolly v. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., 475 U.S. 211, 224-25, 106 S.Ct. 1018, 89 L.Ed.2d 166 (1986). Adams, 946 F.Supp. at 44. Appellants appealed that decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. 15 On August 28, 1998, the District of Columbia Circuit affirmed the district court's decision on the due process claim, but reversed its decision on Appellants' takings claim. Adams v. Hinchman, 154 F.3d 420 (D.C.Cir.1998). The circuit court noted that takings claims for amounts greater than $10,000 fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Court of Federal Claims pursuant to the Tucker Act. Id. at 425-426. Consequently, the circuit court concluded that the district court might lack jurisdiction to entertain Appellants' takings claim and remanded the takings claim to the district court to determine whether jurisdiction was proper under the Little Tucker Act, codified at 28 U.S.C. § 1346(a)(2), for claims of less than $10,000, which lodges concurrent jurisdiction in the district courts. 16 On March 30, 2000, the district court issued an opinion answering the jurisdictional question posed by the circuit court. Adams v. Walker, No. 95-2015 (D.D.C. Mar.30, 2000). The district court noted that Appellants sought to amend their complaint to allege an amount in controversy in excess of $10,000. The district court stated that the circuit court essentially rejected [Appellants'] claim for injunctive relief and viewed it instead as a claim for money damages. Id., slip op. at 5. Hence, the district court concluded that justice required it to allow Appellants to amend their complaint and, therefore, to transfer the case to the Court of Federal Claims. Id., slip. op. at 6. The district court thus vacated its ruling concerning Appellants' takings claim and ordered the case transferred to the Court of Federal Claims pursuant to the transfer provision in 29 U.S.C. § 1631. Id., slip. op. at 9.