The Institute for Justice Takes on Asset Forfeiture

The Institute for Justice launched a national campaign against civil asset forfeiture today, including the video below, a comprehensive report on forfeiture policy in all 50 states, and—I hear—some coming litigation.

You can read my February Reason feature on forfeiture here.

Comments

[EllisWyatt]

About time! Asset forfeiture is one of the worst things about the failed "War on Drugs". This fight should have started 20-25 years ago.

[J sub D]

Seconded. It encourages government corruption and ensnares fucks over completely innocent people.

[I, Kahn O'Clast]

Some little while back a woman I casually know was complaining that her family had lost a ranch/farm in Texas from some kind of eminent domain or tax forfeiture or some such (I really can't remember the details only that she was convinced that it had been unjust). I turned her on to the IJ and while I don't know all of the particulars I do know that she contacted them, that within a year the case was settled and the family has the property back. Not to be racial, but this is a struggling Latino family and the local grabbers were politically connected whites.

Not saying that the IJ did anything per se just that I did get a bouquet of flowers (she runs a small florist shop in New Mexico).

Whether the IJ did something or not, they are still heroes.

[Hedley Lamarr]

Wait a minute... there might be legal precedent. Of course! Land-snatching!
Land, land... "Land: see Snatch. Ah, Haley vs. United States. Haley: 7, United States: nothing. You see, it can be done!

[P Brooks]

I think the IoJ might feature prominently in my will, if I have any significant accumulation of assets to bequeath.

[P Brooks]

And the I *f* J, too.

[BakedPenguin]

Dammit, now I have to come up with $50 or whatever to donate.

Thank nothing (or insert your God here) for the IoJ.

[The Laws]

"Purdy nice lit'l institute y'all got here. Those chairs look real comfy. Hey, is that a bag of white powduh by yo foot?"

[Alice]

this happened to my family Jet skies, cash, phones... fuck cops.