Please enjoy the latest edition of Short Circuit, a weekly feature written by a bunch of people at the Institute for Justice.
Victory! This week the Pennsylvania Supreme Court rejected the "open fields doctrine" under its state constitution, ruling in favor of IJ's clients the Punxsutawney and Pitch Pine hunting clubs. They challenged warrantless searches of their property by state gov't agents. At the federal level, the doctrine allows searches of private land without a warrant. As a result, about 96% of all private land in the country is exposed to warrantless searches and surveillance. Pennsylvania had followed the doctrine but the court found its precedent failed to protect the rights of our clients and everyone else in Pennsylvania.
New cert grant! Since 2012, the state of Alaska has been trying to permanently forfeit Ken Jouppi's $95,000 airplane after he transported a passenger carrying a six-pack. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to decide if it can. For decades, Ken flew his Cessna across the Alaskan wilderness, shuttling locals and tourists who depend on bush pilots like him. Then, state troopers found some Budweiser tucked in a passenger's luggage. Ken and the passenger were charged with misdemeanors, fined $1,500, and sentenced to 3 days in jail. But Alaska tried to take his plane too. Now, the Court will decide whether taking a man's plane over a six-pack is an unconstitutionally excessive fine.
