Title: SCOTUS Puts States In Check: No Windfalls In Tax Disputes The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that states are not entitled to windfalls in tax disputes. In a unanimous decision, the highest court in the land sided with a 94-year-old woman who got nothing when the state sold her condominium to recoup unpaid taxes. The case in question involved a woman named Mary Ford, who had owned a condo in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Ford failed to pay her taxes for a number of years, and the county's tax collector sold her condo to an investor in 2015. While the county was entitled to recoup the unpaid taxes, it was also entitled to compensate Ford for any profit that was made on the sale of the property. The court's ruling stated that the county should not have been able to gain any profit from the sale of the property, since Ford was entitled to any excess proceeds from the sale. The court found that the county's lack of follow-through in dispensing the money owed was unlawful. The significance of this ruling is that it curbs the abuses of state governments when it comes to tax disputes. In the past, states have used these types of disputes to financially bankrupt the opposing party, creating unfair financial advantages. However, this decision reaffirms the idea that states are not above the law and that they cannot use their power to the detriment of everyday citizens. This is a significant victory for individual rights and an important reminder that citizens are entitled to fair treatment from their government. No one is above the law, including the government. States must respect the rule of law and ensure that citizens are not being taken advantage of. The Supreme Court's decision is a win for democracy and a loss for those who would exploit the system. It serves as a reminder that, in this country, justice is for everyone, and that no one is above the law. The ruling shows that the courts are willing to hold state governments accountable for their actions and will not allow them to abuse their power. In a unanimous decision, the justices sided with a 94-year-old woman who got nothing when the state sold her condominium to recoup unpaid taxes.
![]()
