Supreme Court to Hear from Alaskan Bush Pilot Whose Plane was Confiscated over a Six-Pack of Beer
The Supreme Court agreed Monday to hear an appeal from an Alaskan bush pilot whose plane was seized by authorities after they discovered it was bound for a remote, dry village with beer on board.
The appeal from the 82-year-old pilot, Kenneth Jouppi, could have national implications if the 6-3 conservative court limits the ability of state and local governments to rely on asset forfeiture. Jouppi claims that the taking of his $95,000 Cessna for what amounted to a six-pack of beer violated the 8th Amendment’s bar on excessive fines.
The Supreme Court is likely to hear oral arguments in the case later this year or early next — and hand down a decision by next summer.
“The Excessive Fines Clause of the Constitution was built for cases like this,” said Sam Gedge, a senior attorney at the Institute for Justice, which is representing the pilot. “As government agencies increasingly exploit fines and forfeitures to pad their budgets, it’s vital that the Supreme Court make clear that the Excessive Fines Clause is a meaningful check on government overreach.” (Read more from “Supreme Court to Hear from Alaskan Bush Pilot Whose Plane was Confiscated over a Six-Pack of Beer” HERE)
