Supreme Court to Review Alaska's $95,000 Aircraft Forfeiture Over Six-Pack of Beer
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on whether Alaska’s seizure of a charter plane worth $95,000 for transporting a six-pack of beer violates the Eighth Amendment.
In a case stemming from a 2010 flight to the dry village of Beaver, charter operator Ken Jouppi was found guilty after a six-pack of beer was discovered in a passenger’s bag. While the trial court imposed a $1,500 fine and three days in jail, Alaska law required forfeiture of Jouppi’s aircraft, valued at $95,000, a sanction the state Supreme Court deemed permissible under the Eighth Amendment. The decision has been challenged by the Institute for Justice, prompting the U.S. Supreme Court to set a hearing date of December 1.
The Cato Institute’s brief contends that the court ignored the modest nature of the offense and the severe economic impact on Jouppi, citing centuries-old common-law principles on proportional fines. It also references prior Supreme Court rulings, such as United States v. Bajakajian and Timbs v. Indiana, to argue that individual culpability and ability to pay must factor into excess-fine analyses.
Why it matters
The case could reshape how courts assess proportionality of asset forfeiture under the Eighth Amendment.
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