Mt. Laurel: A Note to Petaluma

Facilitated by the phenomenon of Xerox reproduction, though perhaps delayed by the United States Mails, the decision of the Supreme Court of New Jersey in Southern Burlington County NAACP, et al. V. Mt. Laurel arrived in California. As we await the decision of the United States Court of Appeals in Construction Industry Association v. Petaluma, mapy of US form a captive aubience. In the mail which brought a request for a commentary for this publication I also received a copy of a cover letter from the attorney for the Construction Industry Association, which letter directed a copy of Mt. Laurel opinion to the judges of the Federal Court of Appeals. My receipt of these diverse items was not accidental, for I participated in the oral argument in the Petaluma appeal as one of the amicus counsel in support of the city-appellant. The following are my impressions.