Supreme Court Votes 6–3 to Allow State to Keep Innocent Owners’ Cars Used in Drug Crimes
The Supreme Court voted 6–3 on May 9 to uphold the forfeiture of two Alabama women’s cars that were used to commit drug offenses, finding that the U.S. Constitution does not require a separate hearing to determine whether the police may retain the car before the forfeiture hearing. The decision not to strengthen property rights moves away from recent rulings of the conservative-leaning court on so-called home equity theft and excessive fines, which have bolstered individual property rights and reined in government power. The three liberal justices dissented, saying the majority’s ruling prevents lower courts from “addressing myriad abuses of the civil forfeiture system.”
More From EPOCH Times: