U.S. Supreme Court Curbs State Power to Levy Fines, Seize Property
- Ginsburg, in return from surgery, writes court’s opinion
- Ruling is victory for Indiana man trying to keep Land Rover
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The U.S. Supreme Court curbed the power of cities and states to levy fines and seize property, siding with a man trying to keep his Land Rover after he pleaded guilty to selling drugs.
The unanimous ruling marks the first time the court has said states and cities are bound by the Constitution’s ban on excessive fines, part of the Eighth Amendment. The ruling limits what critics say is an increasingly common and abusive government practice of using fines and forfeitures to raise revenue.