Supreme Court Weighs Property Rights in Unpaid Taxes Case
TL;DR
The Supreme Court heard arguments on the constitutionality of allowing states to keep all proceeds from the sale of confiscated property, even when they far exceed the taxpayer's debt. The case in question involves a 94-year-old woman in Minnesota who owed $2,000 in taxes and $13,000 in penalties and interest on her condo, which was sold at auction for $40,000. The county kept the entire amount, including the surplus. The justices expressed skepticism about the county's actions and questioned the historical basis for retaining the entire value of confiscated property.
- Supreme Court Wary of Windfall in Seizure of Condo for Unpaid Taxes The New York Times
- Supreme Court seems to favor woman who got $0 in condo sale The Associated Press
- Grandma didn't pay taxes. Now her house is focus of property rights test case NPR
- Supreme Court sympathetic to homeowner in 'equity theft' dispute NBC News
- Is Minneapolis woman entitled to proceeds from sale of her condo for back taxes? Star Tribune
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