Thursday's Class (Jan 29)--Starts Early at 12:30

We are going to listen to the SCOTUS oral argument in the Lucas case on Thursday of this week. So we need to start class a little early--12:30 PM.

It is a very interesting argument; and I hope you will learn a lot about oral advocacy.

To make up for our two early start times, I will cancel one of our Friday classes. Maybe the Friday before Spring Break? What are your thoughts on which Friday class to cancel to provide Just Compensation to you for our two early start times?

Civil Asset Forfeitures

Here is a link to an article on Civil Asset Forfeitures, an issue that came up in class earlier this wee.

Here is a money quote:

On a bright, clear morning in April 2013, two professional poker players from California were heading west on Interstate 80 in rural Iowa when they were stopped by two Iowa State Troopers.

Before that stop was over, the officers had seized $100,000, which the men said was money to play poker. The troopers also called ahead to California authorities, who raided the men's homes and ultimately indicted one of them, John Newmerzhycky, on a charge of illegal possession of drug paraphernalia.

If this sounds unusual and way out of the ordinary, it isn't. The seizure is just one of thousands of highway stops that state and local authorities call "interdictions:" Roadside stops aimed at catching drug dealers or even terrorists, but which can also result in cash seizures alone with no criminal charges attached.

It's called Civil Asset Forfeiture, and it was started in the early 1980s by the Justice Department. It has since migrated to thousands of state and local jurisdictions nationwide. The program, when it originated, was meant to target and take money authorities believed was connected to crimes.

A legal advocacy group based in Washington called the Institute for Justice has been battling Civil Asset Forfeiture for years.

"It violates due process for Americans," said Larry Salzman, an attorney for the group. "It's wrong. It's a simple premise that the government should not be taking money from people who have done nothing wrong. It shouldn't be taking money from people who have not been charged, let alone convicted, of any crime."

IJ is doing great work on this and many other economic liberties issues.

Tomorrow's Class Starts at 12:30 PM

We will be watching a film.

Mid-Year Exercise Results

Here is the breakdown for the Midyear Exercise:

1 Student scored 100 points (bravo!)

6 Students scored 96 points

5 Students scored 92 points

 

3 Students scored 88 points

4 Students scored 84 points

3 Students scored 80 points

2 Students scored 76 points

3 Students scored 72 points

2 Students scored 68 points

3 Students scored 64 points

 

1 Students scored 56 points

2 Students scored 52 Points
 

2 Student scored 48 Points

1 Student scored 28 points
 

The test median was 80 points.  Pay no attention to the arbitrary "quartiles."  They are meaningless.

Litigation About a Taking of Raisins

If this isn’t a taking, what is?