The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case involving Kenneth Jouppi, an Alaska man whose plane was confiscated due to a misdemeanor conviction for alcohol importation. In 2012, Jouppi was operating a one-man air taxi service when Alaska state troopers found a six-pack of beer on his 1969 Cessna plane while he was preparing to transport a customer. Although possessing beer was not illegal, the village of Beaver, where Jouppi was headed, had banned alcohol. Following his conviction, the Alaska Supreme Court upheld the state's decision to confiscate Jouppi's plane, valued at $95,000, citing the need to enforce the alcohol importation ban.
Jouppi contends that the seizure violates the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on excessive fines. The Supreme Court's ruling could impact the ability of state and local governments to impose asset forfeiture, a concern highlighted by civil libertarians. The state argues that confiscating planes used for illegal imports is essential to combat alcoholism in remote areas. A trial court previously ruled the seizure excessive, but the Alaska Supreme Court reversed that decision. Oral arguments are expected later this year or early next year, with a ruling anticipated by summer 2027.