Thornton v. District of Columbia Redevelopment Land Agency

How later courts describe this case

• affirming ruling that local officials denied plaintiff equal protection where denial of permit was based on illegitimate political or personal motives
• disapproving the position that the bad faith exception extends to bad faith in the events giving rise to litigation
• prison officials have broad discretion, free from judicial interference, in classifying prisoners in terms of their custodial status
• equal protection violation upheld when plaintiff accused defendants of failing to act on its sand excavation application (and subsequently granting a useless permit) while granting permits to a powerful family for five acres around plaintiff's property