Supreme Court Sides With 94-Year-Old Woman Whose Home Equity Was Seized by County

Contact Your Elected Officials
The Epoch Times Header

The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that a Minnesota county wronged a grandmother when it forced the sale of her condominium over an unpaid tax debt and kept the sale proceeds that far exceeded the tax she owed.

Critics call such a practice “home equity theft.”

The case came after Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) released a report late last year saying that 12 states and the District of Columbia allow local governments and private investors to seize dramatically more than what is owed from homeowners who fall behind on property tax payments.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the court’s opinion (pdf) in Tyler v. Hennepin County, Minnesota, court file 22-166, which was issued on May 25.

“The taxpayer must render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, but no more,” Roberts wrote for the court.

Attorney Christina Martin of PLF, who represents dispossessed homeowner Geraldine Tyler, 94, told the court during oral arguments on April 26 that local governments should not be allowed to take the full value of a home as payment for much smaller property tax debts. PLF is a national not-for-profit public interest law firm that challenges government abuses.

Minnesota law allows counties to retain windfalls at the expense of property owners, and from 2014 to 2020, about 1,200 Minnesota residents lost their homes, along with the equity they held, for debts that averaged 8 percent of the home’s value, according to PLF.

Tyler owned a modest one-bedroom condominium in Hennepin County, but after she was harassed and frightened near her home, she moved to a new apartment in a safer neighborhood. The rent on her new apartment stretched her resources and she fell into arrears on her condo’s property tax bills, accumulating about $2,300 in taxes owed, along with $12,700 in penalties, interest, and costs.

The county seized Tyler’s condo, valued at $93,000, and sold it for just $40,000. Instead of keeping the $15,000 it was owed, the county retained the full $40,000, amounting to a windfall of $25,000, according to PLF.

By Matthew Vadum

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

Unholy uproar: The politics of prayer 

What began as a silent tribute to Charlie Kirk in the House erupted into shouting, revealing deep divides over policy and expressions of grief and hope.

Wanted: Prayer For Tyler Robinson

What will last? The only thing about us that will truly, 100-percent-guaranteed, last is our soul. My soul, your soul, and that of Kirk’s murderer, Tyler Robinson.

A Strange Conservative Case to Revitalize Bleeding-Heart Liberalism

Bleeding-heart liberalism was born out of the belief that America had become cruel and needed to be rescued from its worst instincts by a heartfelt politics.

UNREAL: Former CIA Director Publicly Slobbers All Over Al-Qaeda Terrorist Now Running Syria

Al-Sharaa is no liberal reformer; he spent the summer brutally massacring Christians, Druze, and Shia minorities across Syria.

President Trump’s UN Message: Strength in an Age of Folly 

President Donald Trump delivered a speech at the UN General Assembly this week that was equal parts indictment and invitation.

At Least 1 Dead, 9 Injured in Shooting at Michigan Mormon Church

There was an active shooter and fire at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, MI with multiple victims and the shooter is down.

Eric Adams Drops Out of NYC Mayoral Race

New York City Mayor Eric Adams dropped out of this year’s mayoral race on citing mounting pressure that makes it difficult to continue his campaign.

Des Moines Schools Superintendent Placed on Leave Following Arrest by Immigration Authorities

The head of Iowa’s largest school district was put on leave after being arrested by immigration authorities for allegedly entering the U.S. illegally.

Mojave Desert Solar Plant Once Hailed as a Marvel Will Close as a Glowing Relic

As Southern California Edison pulls out as a buyer, California’s $2 billion Ivanpah plant becomes the latest casualty of the renewables race.

Trump Announces New Tariffs on Heavy Trucks, Drugs, Kitchen Cabinets, Other Products

President Trump will impose new tariffs next month on heavy trucks, branded drugs, kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, and related products.

Trump Signs Deal to Put TikTok Under US Ownership

President Trump approved the TikTok U.S. deal, signing an EO that will give China-based ByteDance 120 days to finalize terms with American investors.

Secret Service Investigating Alleged Sabotage of UN Escalator

Trump said Secret Service probing “sabotage” at U.N. headquarters, saying malfunctions with sound, escalator, and teleprompter interfered with his speech.

US Will Use Tariff Revenue to Help Farmers: Trump

President Donald Trump said on Sept. 25 that he would use tariff revenue to provide aid to American farmers until his import levies start to benefit them.
spot_img

Related Articles