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Londregan wanted to give Will a piece of his mind. He pulled out his notepad and ripped off a scathing letter. “What are you talking about?” Londregan began, ripping Will for the way he had gone after the city and ignored the other side of the argument. “You obviously have never read the Municipal Development Plan.”

After making all his points, Londregan reviewed what he had written. Satisfied, he crumpled it up and tossed it in the trash. What good would it do to send it? Will was just another voice in the media who didn’t get it, he figured.

But Will wasn’t just another voice. His column caused a major stir and touched off a slew of stories on national television and radio programs. There were so many requests to talk to the Fort Trumbull homeowners that the institute’s John Kramer had to pick and choose which ones the plaintiffs would meet. He lined up Matt Dery on CNN. He sent Susette to appear on National Public Radio. The question on everyone’s mind was simple: would the Supreme Court take the case?

September 28, 2004

Scott Bullock picked up the phone in his Washington office and the caller identified herself as a clerk at the Supreme Court. “I just wanted to tell you that the court accepted cert. today in the Kelo case,” she said.

“What?” Bullock shouted, too shocked to believe what he just heard.

“Kelo?” the clerk said, thinking Bullock didn’t know what case she was talking about.

“Yes … Yes,” Bullock said. “Thank you.”

He dropped the phone and bolted down the hall to Dana Berliner’s office.

She was at her desk doing research. Bullock leaned down and gave her a hug. She had no idea what was happening.

“The Court just accepted Kelo,” he whispered in her ear before pulling back to see her reaction.

“Oh … my … God!” she said.

Bullock roared.

They couldn’t wait to call the clients.

Susette was on duty at the hospital when Bullock reached her.

“I have some incredible news, Susette. The Court has agreed to hear the case.”

“Are you shittin’ me?”

He assured her it was true. And her life was about to change as a result. Hers was the lead name on a historic case before the Supreme Court of the United States.

“I can’t believe it,” she shouted. “I can’t believe it.”

As soon as she hung up, Susette started calling the others. The phones were jammed all afternoon. Friends, family, and reporters were trying to reach the plaintiffs for reaction. When her shift ended at 3:30, Susette sped back to her neighborhood. The group had agreed to assemble at the Dery house. It was time to raise the glass again.

Susette didn’t bother stopping home to change out of her nursing whites. She couldn’t wait to get to Matt’s place.

Von Winkle arrived right after she did.

“We’re gonna win, right?” she said.

“I think we got ’em now, Red,” Von Winkle said, smiling.

“We gotta win. Why else would they take the case if we weren’t going to win?”

Neighbors and friends dropped by to congratulate the group. Some visitors even left gifts. One of Matt Dery’s friends, a trucker, called all the way from Jackson, Mississippi, to say he had just heard the news on the radio.

Members of the local press showed up to get reactions.

Susette just beamed.

“It’s been like a seven-year prostate exam,” Dery told a reporter as a photographer snapped pictures.

Susette laughed. Dery liked comparing the struggle to preserve their homes to a never-ending rectal exam. She agreed. But suddenly it was all worth it.

The news came like a kick in the gut. Tom Londregan had never expected the Supreme Court to take up the property owners’ appeal. All he could do now was shake his head. He could hear the institute ginning up its press releases now.

But Londregan did see one positive point—the city would get exceptional legal representation at no charge. Wes Horton was on the hook to handle the oral argument and preargument brief at no charge.

Londregan and Ed O’Connell from the NLDC drove up to meet with Horton in his Hartford law office.

“So, Wes,” O’Connell said, seated across from him at his desk, “what’s it going to be like sitting at counsel