Justices Doubt Test Favoring Prompt Post-Seizure Hearings (1)

The US Supreme Court appeared unlikely to rule for two Alabama women who claim a constitutional right to an immediate hearing after their cars were seized in crimes they didn’t commit.

Justice Clarence Thomas seemed to agree with Alabama’s argument on Monday that civil asset forfeiture proceedings are sufficient to give the women proper due process. He wanted to know if they would even be in court if they had asked a district judge to rule in their favor a week after the forfeiture proceedings began.

“If you got your property back, what would be the constitutional problem?” he asked. ...