Rom Reddy is continuing a legal fight to protect private property rights as government power increasingly encroaches on landowners across South Carolina.
The Pacific Legal Foundation has formally joined the ongoing legal challenge involving South Carolina property owner Rom Reddy, bringing national constitutional expertise to a case that could have far-reaching implications for property rights across the state.
The case centers on whether the state of South Carolina can regulate, restrict or effectively take control of privately owned property while continuing to tax that land as private property. At issue is a system in which property owners are required to pay taxes on land they legally own, yet are denied meaningful rights to protect it.
“This case is about a simple constitutional principle,” Reddy said. “If the state claims the power to control private land, it must also respect the rights that come with ownership. You cannot tax citizens as owners and then treat them as if they have no rights at all.”
Reddy also cited the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which states: “Nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.”
Pacific Legal Foundation is nationally recognized for defending property rights, constitutional limits on government authority, and the rights of citizens against regulatory overreach. Its involvement signals the broader constitutional importance of the case beyond a single dispute.
Reddy emphasized that the case is not about rejecting public interests or legitimate regulation, but about restoring clarity, fairness and transparency in how government exercises power.
“This is about the rule of law,” Reddy said. “Property boundaries are established, recorded and taxed by the state. When government moves regulatory lines at will and strips owners of basic rights, it undermines trust and violates constitutional protections.”
The case challenges a regulatory framework that allows the state to assert control over private property while prohibiting owners from taking reasonable steps to protect or manage their land.
“This kind of unchecked authority should concern every South Carolinian,” Reddy said. “If government can do this to one property owner, it can happen to anyone. Constitutional limits exist for a reason.”
With Pacific Legal Foundation now involved, the case will move forward with increased legal resources and national attention. The outcome could help define the future of property rights, regulatory authority and constitutional accountability in South Carolina.
“This fight isn’t just about one property,” Reddy said. “It’s about whether citizens still have meaningful property rights in this state. I’m grateful to Pacific Legal Foundation for standing with us in defense of the Constitution.”
Reddy also referenced a quote often attributed to George Washington: “Freedom and property rights go hand in hand. You cannot have one without the other.”