The Detroit News: End home equity theft scheme for good

February 16, 2023 | By KATHY HOEKSTRA
Tawanda Hall

In October, the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals delivered an important victory for property owners. The ruling also set the stage for a property rights battle that will soon be settled by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The 3-0 decision in Hall v. Meisner affirmed what we already knew, that the government can take property to collect unpaid taxes. But taking more than what’s owed is unconstitutional.

The Michigan Supreme Court said as much in 2020, when it recognized that a home’s equity is just as much private property as the home itself and is equally protected by the Constitution.

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