Supreme Court Declines to Set New Asset Forfeiture Standard (1)

The US Supreme Court ruled against two Alabama women seeking immediate hearings to reclaim cars that were seized in crimes they didn’t commit.

In a 6-3 decision on Thursday, the court’s conservative majority said the Constitution’s Due Process Clause requires a timely forfeiture hearing but doesn’t require a separate preliminary hearing in civil forfeiture cases involving personal property.

Writing for the majority, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said the women appear to be arguing for a more timely hearing so that a property owner with a good defense against forfeiture can recover their property more quickly, “but the court’s precedents already require ...