Washington State Dept. of Licensing v. Cougar Den, Inc.
View Official PDFBelow are plain-language sections to help you understand what the Court decided in Washington State Dept. of Licensing v. Cougar Den, Inc. and why it matters. Quotes are taken from the syllabus (the Court’s short summary at the start of the opinion).
Summary
A short, plain-English overview of Washington State Dept. of Licensing v. Cougar Den, Inc..
The Supreme Court ruled that the Eighth Amendment's Excessive Fines Clause is applicable to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause. This decision stems from a case where Indiana sought civil forfeiture of Tyson Timbs's vehicle, which was deemed disproportionate to his offense. The Court emphasized the historical and logical basis for incorporating the Excessive Fines Clause against the states.
Holding
The single most important “bottom line” of what the Court decided in Washington State Dept. of Licensing v. Cougar Den, Inc..
The Court held that the Eighth Amendment's Excessive Fines Clause is incorporated against the states through the Fourteenth Amendment.
Constitutional Concepts
These are the Constitution-related themes that appear in Washington State Dept. of Licensing v. Cougar Den, Inc.. Click a concept to see other cases that involve the same idea.
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Why Excessive Fines is relevant to Washington State Dept. of Licensing v. Cougar Den, Inc.
The case directly addresses whether the Excessive Fines Clause of the Eighth Amendment is incorporated against the states through the Fourteenth Amendment.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)Held: The Eighth Amendment's Excessive Fines Clause is an incorporated protection applicable to the States under the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause.
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Why Substantive Due Process is relevant to Washington State Dept. of Licensing v. Cougar Den, Inc.
The incorporation of the Excessive Fines Clause through the Fourteenth Amendment involves substantive due process analysis.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)The Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause incorporates and renders applicable to the States Bill of Rights protections 'fundamental to our scheme of ordered liberty,' or 'deeply rooted in this Nation's history and tradition.'
Key Quotes
Short excerpts from the syllabus in Washington State Dept. of Licensing v. Cougar Den, Inc. that support the summary and concepts above.
The Eighth Amendment's Excessive Fines Clause is an incorporated protection applicable to the States under the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause.
Protection against excessive fines has been a constant shield throughout Anglo-American history for good reason.
The historical and logical case for concluding that the Fourteenth Amendment incorporates the Excessive Fines Clause is indeed overwhelming.
