Napa County collected taxes on her wine for decades. Now it wants $4 million because she poured it.
Napa Valley, California, is home to some of the most sought-after wine in the world. Here, the elements conspire as warm afternoon sunshine and rolling evening fog slowly ripen the grapes, giving them time to develop that deep signature complexity. Each bottle of Napa wine tells the story of the vineyard and the people who gave it life. These ...
The woman who sued to enforce the Declaration’s promise of equality
The Declaration of Independence's bold proclamation that "all men are created equal" was the foundation on which the pillars of American ethos were built. Its principle endured, later shaping the Fourteenth Amendment's guarantee of equality before the law. Self-evident as this truth may be, how these words would be lifted from the parchment and ...
A rancher’s land dispute could prompt SCOTUS to clarify sovereign immunity
Tammy Blakey's career as an airline captain took her all over the world from Shanghai to the Middle East. Now retired, she may soon be heading to the most exotic location yet: The Supreme Court. In 1990, Tammy and her husband acquired 165 acres of ranchland in Snohomish County, Washington. Together, they ran their small business, Flying T Ranch. ...
Graffam, Ballentyne, BFP, and Pung : When auction prices fall short
Last week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in PLF's case Pung v. Isabella County. At its core, the case is about home equity theft and the Fifth Amendment's promise of just compensation. The Constitution says that when governments take your home to satisfy a tax debt, they can take only what is owed to them and are required to return the ...
What can we expect as Pung heads to SCOTUS? Tyler’s oral arguments offer clues
On Wednesday, PLF heads back to the Supreme Court to continue the fight against home equity theft and protect property owners' right to just compensation. Pung v. Isabella County began with a disputed tax bill and ended with loss of a treasured family home and $118,000 in equity. Mike Pung was managing the estate of his late nephew, Scott, which ...
Mr. Beast v. the bald eagle
During a recent appearance on The Tonight Show, YouTube legend Mr. Beast told host Jimmy Fallon about the time a bald eagle derailed the filming of one of his videos. The majestic bird did not disrupt the production by swooping in front of the camera or drowning out the dialogue with its signature high-pitched whistle. No. The only hindrance was th ...
How a case from 1606 answers an upcoming Supreme Court question about just compensation
In 1606, Britain was in a state of perpetual defense. The nearly 20-year Anglo-Spanish war had finally ended two years prior, and the Crown was eager to rebuild his now-depleted resources. If the war had taught him anything, it was how quickly England could be attacked. Military readiness wasn't just prudent—it was necessary. Foreign threats a ...
Michigan family fights for just compensation at the Supreme Court
Mike Pung's life has been shaped by two driving forces: devotion to family and a refusal to back down from bullies. For over 15 years, those guiding principles have carried him through a drawn-out legal battle with Isabella County, Michigan. What began as a dispute over a legitimate tax exemption on Mike's late nephew's property ended with the C ...
From Austin to Pung : Defining the Excessive Fines Clause in the modern era
Drawing on centuries of warnings, the Framers included the Excessive Fines Clause in the Bill of Rights to protect individuals from unrestrained governments wielding monetary penalties that are wildly disproportionate to the offense committed. The ink on the Bill of Rights has been dry for over 200 years and yet, unlike free speech, due process, ...