U.S. Supreme Court
Jan. 14, 2017
Property rights by fiat
You'll get an unexpected message from some states if you're ever convicted of a crime and then later exonerated: We're sorry for wrongfully imprisoning you and wrecking your life, but we'll be keeping your money. By Ethan Blevins
Ethan Blevins
Attorney
Pacific Legal Foundation
If you're convicted of a crime in Colorado, you'll have to pay a bunch of fines and fees - victim restitution, court costs, and so forth. If you're exonerated, though, Colorado won't give you back that money unless you prove your own innocence. The U.S. Supreme Court held oral argument on Jan. 9 in Nelson v. Colorado to decide whether this guilty-until-proven-innocent approach violates due process.
The oral...
For only $95 a month (the price of 2 article purchases)
Receive unlimited article access and full access to our archives,
Daily Appellate Report, award winning columns, and our
Verdicts and Settlements.
Or
$795 for an entire year!
Or access this article for $45
(Purchase provides 7-day access to this article. Printing, posting or downloading is not allowed.)
Already a subscriber?
Sign In