The U.S. Supreme Court recently made a decision that affects people whose cars are wrongly taken by the police. The Court rejected a law that would have let these people quickly appeal to get their cars back. Instead, innocent drivers will have to wait for a “timely hearing,” which could take a long time.
Two drivers took their case to the Supreme Court. They wanted a faster way to get their cars back when they were taken by mistake. They asked for an instant appeals process, so anyone whose car was wrongly taken could get it back quickly.
The case involved situations where a stolen car was used in a crime or when someone borrowed a car and got into trouble with it. But the Supreme Court voted against the case, six to three.
The Supreme Court judges didn’t think the law was necessary because many states already have their own ways to return cars to their owners after they’re taken by the police.
Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, speaking for the court, said each state has its own rules for returning seized cars. The judges didn’t want to make a new rule that would need another hearing in all cases.
The case was brought by two women whose cars were taken while other people were driving them. Halima Culley lent her car to her son, who was in college. Lena Sutton lent her car to a friend.
Culley had to wait a year before she could complain about her car being taken. It took another month for her to get her car back after she complained.
The two women filed a lawsuit because they couldn’t quickly appeal to get their cars back. They said the U.S. Constitution requires a fast way for innocent car owners to get their cars back.
Even though the Supreme Court dismissed their case, Justice Neil M. Gorsuch admitted that the court needs better rules for these situations in the future.
