Monday, April 29, 2019

Supreme Court historic 9-0 decision

The case is about government applying excessive fines, fees and forfeitures. It takes the narrator 45 seconds to get to that.

The court ruled that Constitution's Eighth Amendment applies to the states. A man named Tyson Timbs fought the seizure of his SUV all the way to the Supreme Court. He sold $225 worth of heroin to undercover police twice and pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to a year of home confinement and five years probation and ordered to pay $1,200 in fees and court costs. Then Indiana took the $42,000 Land Rover he was driving at the time of arrest. (Not purchased with drug money)

More details about the case at Daily Signal.

5 comments:

ampersand said...

I should hope this covers tax departments that steal valuable properties over unpaid taxes and sell them to their pals for the price of the tax without ponying up the difference. Supreme court rulings slice thinner than a cheese slicer.

AllenS said...

Finally.

Some Seppo said...

I have never understood why the Bill of Rights needs to be reaffirmed as applying to the States. Are there other parts of the Constitution that don't apply to the States?

Surely Federalism can't be an excuse to, for example, allow States to billet soldiers in private homes or prevent people from speaking on the village green.

Evi L. Bloggerlady said...

About time. Thanks for posting this Chip.

Amartel said...

This is nice and all but I can't celebrate because these practices should never have gone on in the first place and it took far too long to put a stop to it. It's like, YAY all nine Supreme Court justices agree that official grift-thieving is wrong.
*Takes a breath*
Okay.
Baby steps.