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Supreme Court Puts Limits on Police Power to Seize Private Property (8-0 w/ Thomas concurring)
NY Times ^ | 09-20-2019 | Adam Liptak

Posted on 02/20/2019 10:16:32 AM PST by NRx

WASHINGTON — Siding with a small time drug offender in Indiana whose $42,000 Land Rover was seized by law enforcement officials, the Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that the Constitution places limits on civil forfeiture laws that allow states and localities to take and keep private property used to commit crimes.

Civil forfeiture is a popular way to raise revenue, and its use has been the subject of widespread criticism across the political spectrum.

The Supreme Court has ruled that the Eighth Amendment, which bars “excessive fines,” limits the ability of the federal government to seize property. On Wednesday, the court ruled that the clause also applies to the states.

Previously, the Supreme Court had never squarely addressed that question. It had addressed the status of the Excessive Fines Clause, but only in the context of the federal government. The court had, however, previously ruled that most protections under the Bill of Rights apply to the states — or were incorporated against them, in the legal jargon — under the 14th Amendment, one of the post-Civil War amendments.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, writing for eight justices, said the question was an easy one. “The historical and logical case for concluding that the 14th Amendment incorporates the Excessive Fines Clause is overwhelming,” she wrote.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Government
KEYWORDS: assetforfeiture; braking; civilforfeiture; forfeiture; lawsuit; ruling; scotus; wod
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To: TexasGurl24

If you take the premise that the constitution means what it says, as many of us do, then a 36% unanimous decision rate since 2000 is horrible.


81 posted on 02/20/2019 12:10:41 PM PST by OIFVeteran
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To: morphing libertarian

El Chapo got to the court


Not likely...remember this?

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-blocking-property-persons-involved-serious-human-rights-abuse-corruption/


82 posted on 02/20/2019 12:11:11 PM PST by Jane Long (Praise God, from whom ALL blessings flow.)
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To: Jane Long

I was being sarcastic


83 posted on 02/20/2019 12:15:38 PM PST by morphing libertarian (Use Comey's Report; Indict Hillary now; build Kate's wall. --- Proud Smelly Walmart Deplorable)
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To: The Pack Knight

And because Bubba owned the truck he will also be charged as an accomplice. Bubba will be forced to plea bargain and end up doing time because now he can’t even sell that truck to pay for legal representation.

There is a chain of actions that can happen with all this.


84 posted on 02/20/2019 12:29:41 PM PST by Openurmind
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To: NRx; All

So, according to Notorious RBG, we can’t use El Chapo’s ill-gotten BILLIONS to help build the Wall?

Got it! *SPIT*


85 posted on 02/20/2019 12:30:20 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin ( "Why can't you be more like Lloyd Braun?")
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To: NRx

The joke here is RBG wring the opinion. That did not happen.


86 posted on 02/20/2019 12:33:33 PM PST by Captain Peter Blood
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To: dennisw

Ginsberg READ the decision. She was not present for the deliberations, or arguments, so she did not PARTICIPATE in the decision.


87 posted on 02/20/2019 12:36:46 PM PST by PapaBear3625 ("Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities." -- Voltaire)
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To: PapaBear3625

The arguments were heard last November before her latest surgery. She was a full participant.


88 posted on 02/20/2019 12:39:54 PM PST by jjotto (Next week, BOOM!, for sure!)
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To: NRx

Unanimous.

Pretty clear that states and local LEO have been acting criminally for decades.

Against YOU.


89 posted on 02/20/2019 12:51:19 PM PST by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: campaignPete R-CT; grey_whiskers; jacquej; fieldmarshaldj; Impy

“It was 9-0

Thomas wrote his own concurring opinion”

_____________

Justice Thomas concurred in the judgment, but did not sign on to the Opinion of the Court, so, legally speaking, it was 9-0 *on the judgment*, but it was only 8-0 *on the opinion*.


90 posted on 02/20/2019 12:58:30 PM PST by AuH2ORepublican (If a politician won't protect innocent babies, what makes you think that he'll defend your rights?)
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To: jjotto

Was the gallery open? How long were they in session?

All I commented about was what the NYT “said”.

I don’t trust ComDems, period. And that includes their mouth pieces at the NYT.

The last time the NYT showed a picture of RBG, it was identified as a 2 month old photo.

Has there been another news report about the subject?


91 posted on 02/20/2019 12:59:08 PM PST by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: jjotto
OK, I thought about what you wrote. At first I did not clearly understand it.

You were saying the arguments were already written before the latest session which included RBG.

If found this article in NPR, certainly another leftist source.

Justice Ginsburg Appears Strong In First Appearance At Supreme Court This Year

https://www.npr.org/2019/02/19/695773628/ruth-bader-ginsburg-returns-to-supreme-court-bench-after-lung-cancer-surgery

And Nina Totenberg, who wrote it is certainly long term liberal.

At her return for Tuesday's arguments, Ginsburg was the first to ask a question in a patent case that normally would have drawn no press attention. Instead, the press rows were nearly full. At the end of the argument, Ginsburg got up carefully. As she descended the steps behind the bench, Chief Justice John Roberts walked next to her, ready to help. But Ginsburg walked on her own.

As luck would have it, after the January arguments, the court had scheduled a monthlong “writing break,” allowing Ginsburg extra time to recuperate and work from home. Last Friday, Ginsburg returned to the Supreme Court building for the first time to participate in the justices’ private conference, the first such conference scheduled since mid-January.

Ginsburg has been working hard to regain her strength. Friends say she is walking more than a mile a day and is once again working out with her trainer twice a week.

92 posted on 02/20/2019 1:16:07 PM PST by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: Texas Fossil

Tuesday’s arguments were not about the Indiana seizure case. The results of today’s cases will be announced months from now. That’s the way the SC works except for emergencies.

Timbs v. Indian was argued last November 28. Ginsburg’s surgery was late December. The decision was made official today.


93 posted on 02/20/2019 1:26:30 PM PST by jjotto (Next week, BOOM!, for sure!)
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To: jjotto

OK that makes sense. But it does not track to the tone of the article. The one posted nor the one that I referenced from NPR.


94 posted on 02/20/2019 1:33:08 PM PST by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: morphing libertarian

Yes.

In my view, the problem as in all things American, is carrying the forfeiture to extreme and applied in every case. It seems the fruit of criminal enterprise is declared to be everything the police can find and no judge will call them on it.

That is, the process has gotten out of hand.


95 posted on 02/20/2019 1:42:57 PM PST by bert ( (KE. N.P. N.C. +12) Honduras must be invaded to protect America from invasion)
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To: NRx

This is good news indeed.


96 posted on 02/20/2019 1:45:03 PM PST by Rusty0604
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To: morphing libertarian
👍🏻

/s

97 posted on 02/20/2019 1:59:02 PM PST by Jane Long (Praise God, from whom ALL blessings flow.)
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To: jacquej

It was unanimous, with Thomas writing a concurring opinion.


98 posted on 02/20/2019 2:00:39 PM PST by Rusty0604
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To: jjotto
>>>Do you believe Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch and Kavanaugh are part of the conspiracy? How about the public gallery? All plants along with various Court officials?

Don't forget, Trump would have to be in the conspiracy too. Somehow he is being snowballed and word is not getting back to him through the solicitor general that she's dead and she really didn't read the opinion...that she's really not there...as I was told JUST LAST WEEK "WE ARE BEING PLAYED!!!"...or he's in on it.

Either way, the man who isn't afraid to use his Twitter to tell the truth and apparently knows all...doesn't know that a SCOTUS justice is dead or incapacitated and ALL these people are lying and he is being duped.

That's what people want us to REALLY believe: That our president is an idiot...or a traitor.

99 posted on 02/20/2019 2:08:39 PM PST by NELSON111 (Congress: The Ralph Wolf and Sam Sheepdog show. Theater for sheep. My politics determines my "hero")
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To: gaijin

A recent article:

SC cops defend keeping cash they seize: ‘What’s the incentive’ otherwise?

https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/taken/2019/02/03/sc-civil-forfeiture-police-defend-practice-say-funds-essential-law-enforcement/2746412002/

“If police don’t get to keep the money from forfeiture, “what is the incentive to go out and make a special effort?” Bruder said. “What is the incentive for interdiction?” “


100 posted on 02/20/2019 2:15:51 PM PST by Rebelbase (If Trump walked on water the press headline would read, "TRUMP CAN'T SWIM".)
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