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Seirviczs C�t Mead Data Central, Ina <br /> PAGE 3' <br /> Ii 1991 U.S. App. LEXIS 30233, *2 <br /> Ehe site of the acid pits, but nearby properties as wel1. Plaint!ffs own one of <br /> those nearby properties. This case is about the Government's enlistment of <br /> plaintlffsl property, <br /> without plaintiffs , consent, in the battle againstl <br /> hollution, and� plaintiffsl :efforts to be recompensed for that use. <br /> In 1983 the.Government first undertook activities an plaintiffs <br /> land! In <br /> i984 plaintiffs filed suit in the Claims Court for !us I t compensatic <br /> n for the <br /> alleged taking1laf plaintiffs' property. The suit dragged an for years, with two <br /> different trial judges. Extensive discovery was undertaken. Before the first <br /> Trial judge, the Government moved for summ'ary judgment that there had been no <br /> regulatory 1*13 taking, and that the United Stites was not responsibli for <br /> the activitiesii.on the property undertaken by the State Of California. The court,. <br /> grantedboth motions. The plaintiffs moved for summary judgment that there had <br /> been a physical occupation amounting to a taking. The court denied plaintiffs' <br /> iotion, and ordered trial. (ftlidler v. United States—., 11 Cl., Ctiv. 171 (1986) <br /> (Ren.,dlir 1) <br /> Then the matter took a sudden and rather unusual turn. Plaintiffs and the <br /> davernment, bec ' <br /> ame embroiled in a heated quarrel over whether plaintiffs, <br /> responses to certain interrogatories were sufficiently detailed and forthcoming,. <br /> .At the Government's insistence, the Claims Court ordered the plaintiffs to <br /> thmit additional and more complete responses to the Government's questidns.. <br /> :1?,,'laintiffs responded that they were answering fully in light of the information <br /> available'. to, them, and: that since certain of the Government's questions f' cused <br /> � 'f - P <br /> on finding out more about the :activities of the Government, itself, plaintiffs <br /> were continuing discovery of Government witnesses. The. Government, and <br /> �intimately the ,court, were not satisfied, and in December of 19,89 the surto now <br /> b4�f,ore a second Claims t*47 Court judge, was dismissed under Rule 37 the <br /> 0 14,f .. 4 <br /> court granted the Government's motion to sanction plaintiffs b n� the <br /> Y. <br /> case with prejUdiceand awarding court costs and attorney fees to the <br /> -Government....: keiidler v. :United States, 19 Cl. Ct. 2,17 6969 . (Nendler 11.1i <br /> Plainti.ffs ask. that we review' the :correctness Of that: dismissal, as weil as <br /> the correctness of the earlier rulings on the motions for summary Judgmen .it Th <br /> , � e: <br /> Government: is of the view that the dismissal was fully deserved and should. be <br /> Upheld. And evenshould we disagree,, the Government urges, the Claims: Court <br /> loci-sions. on the earlier summary judgment motions did not themselvesf ali.i.... <br /> :y: <br /> Mispose of the :case zhd therefore: are not properly before us,. <br /> We: fintf the::dismissal.: sanction was improvidentl granted d. <br /> an y -g1 ,n ted it is rev. <br /> And for the reasons we sh we conclude at the. Merf of. <br /> .. ..... all shortl:y explain ts <br /> the. rulings in ikendle:r .1 Arebefore us and should.. be decided, Un th.e. ..mer. ts we <br /> c6p.cludi :that. the Oirt%.tal: :su;Ma.rY. judgment in favor of the Government On he' <br /> question of the': role n-f the State :of California wasis <br /> a 0 in e r r <br /> or.t. and. it IS. <br /> �reversed;:: The ruling that-no: regulatory taking occurred is not� r45i <br /> ... only I <br /> tUr0#11. but?: as. we s.h 11 -explain,I : ian n so far as it is limited to the EPA <br /> iger per se. <br /> The denial� of plaintiffs': . : o I <br /> ftt tion for summary judgment physical gment aft a taking by <br /> .... ............. plaintiffs*. <br /> occupancy I reVersed- judgmentis ordered In favd f . .. rhe sale 5. <br /> r 0, <br /> remanded to the Claims Court. for further proceedings consistent with thiS. <br /> LEX11- 1S NEXISOLEXIS,"NEXISi. <br />