Alaska Defends Plane Forfeiture Law Before the U.S. Supreme Court in Bootlegging Case: Arguments Set for Dec. 1
Alaska is defending its mandatory plane-forfeiture law before the U.S. Supreme Court. The case involves pilot Kenneth Jouppi, who used a 1969 Cessna bush plane to carry alcohol into a dry rural village. After his conviction, the state seized the plane, worth about $95,000, under the law. The Alaska Supreme Court upheld the forfeiture in April 2025, finding that although the plane was worth about 9.5 times the $10,000 maximum criminal fine, the penalty was not "grossly disproportional"; the court also noted the forfeiture would not deprive Jouppi of his livelihood because he is largely retired and owns another plane.
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear the case in July, with oral arguments set for Dec. 1. At issue is the standard under the Eighth Amendment's Excessive Fines Clause: whether courts reviewing non-cash forfeitures should look only at the offender's conduct and the statutory fine cap, or give more weight to legislative judgments and the harm to the community. Both sides filed briefs this month, and the federal government and several Alaska organizations have joined as amici curiae.
The ruling will reach beyond one case: if the court sides with Alaska, mandatory plane forfeiture will remain a tool against first-time offenders who fly alcohol into dry villages; if it reverses, a major enforcement tool for remote communities will be weakened. (GSM, based on U.S. Supreme Court case records)
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 美国国家公园管理局（Jacob W. Frank 摄，公共领域）
