Supreme Court rules 9-0 against state civil forfeiture

[RobDownSouth]

I admit I did not see this one coming.

The Supreme Court ruled this morning unanimously (that means "all of them", BotanyBoy) that states were subject to federal civil forfeiture rules.

The Indiana Supreme Court ruled that the state had every right to seize a $42,000 Land Rover when a guy was convicted of possessing $400 in drugs, that they were not subject to the $10,000 federal maximum.

The US Supreme Court spanked them, and then went a step further and said the "excessive fines" clause in the Constitution applied at the state level, essentially putting states out of the civil forfeiture business.

 

[Bray123]

The State doesn't need that Land Rover. He can pay for the maintenance on that damn piece of shit car himself.

 

[srgreene]

I admit I did not see this one coming.

The Supreme Court ruled this morning unanimously (that means "all of them", BotanyBoy) that states were subject to federal civil forfeiture rules.

The Indiana Supreme Court ruled that the state had every right to seize a $42,000 Land Rover when a guy was convicted of possessing $400 in drugs, that they were not subject to the $10,000 federal maximum.

The US Supreme Court spanked them, and then went a step further and said the "excessive fines" clause in the Constitution applied at the state level, essentially putting states out of the civil forfeiture business.

Bravo to the Court on this one!

Asset forfeiture has gone FAR to far in the USA, and has amounted to state-sponsored theft in some cases. Few things have made the grasping power grab of the political class more evident. Nine to zip on a divided court such as we have is an impressive slap down to the politicos. Too bad the voters didn't first take their revenge for this horrendous overreach of government power.

 

[RobDownSouth]

Bravo to the Court on this one!

Asset forfeiture has gone FAR to far in the USA, and has amounted to state-sponsored theft in some cases. Few things have made the grasping power grab of the political class more evident. Nine to zip on a divided court such as we have is an impressive slap down to the politicos. Too bad the voters didn't first take their revenge for this horrendous overreach of government power.

My take is that it was reining in overzealous grabs by law enforcement, who appear to have made civil forfeiture something of a cottage industry.

 

[BotanyBoy]

I admit I did not see this one coming.

What the SCOTUS doing the right thing or that the lefty judges didn't side in favor of government overreach?

The Supreme Court ruled this morning unanimously (that means "all of them", BotanyBoy).

I know, remember between the two of us I'm not the one who keeps demonstrating a lack of vocabulary and serious deficiency in US history and US government education.

The Indiana Supreme Court ruled that the state had every right to seize a $42,000 Land Rover when a guy was convicted of possessing $400 in drugs, that they were not subject to the $10,000 federal maximum.

The US Supreme Court spanked them, and then went a step further and said the "excessive fines" clause in the Constitution applied at the state level, essentially putting states out of the civil forfeiture business.

What a terrible day for authoritarian shits nation wide. So much freedom my "leftist tears" hot or cold tumbler is overflowing.

And a wonderful day for Americans everywhere

My take is that it was reining in overzealous grabs by law enforcement, who appear to have made civil forfeiture something of a cottage industry.

You're 100% correct.

 

[Wrong Element]

My take is that it was reining in overzealous grabs by law enforcement, who appear to have made civil forfeiture something of a cottage industry.

The New Yorker did a great story on this several years ago, focusing on a half-assed town in East Texas not far from where Arte grew up. It had gotten to the point where police departments were actually accounting for future gains from forfeiture in their budgets.

I don't know how many "anti-police" decisions the Court has handed down in the last 50 years, but I'm sure it's a real short list.