U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Case Threatening the California Coastal Act

"In a significant win for beach access rights in California, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a Silicon Valley billionaire’s appeal to keep a beach to himself," reports Rosanna Xia.

The billionaire: Martins Beach in San Mateo County. The billionaire: Vinod Khosla.

"What began as a local dispute over a locked gate has exploded into a cause célèbre for beachgoers across California. The decade-long squabble spurred a spate of lawsuits that zeroed in on whether property owner Vinod Khosla needs state permission to gate off the road."

Much more was risk in the controversy than just one gate and one beach. The U.S. Supreme Court could have potentially overturned the decision of a string of California court decisions, and dismantled the "landmark" California Coastal Act.