Wesley Hottot

Feb 1, 2024 | ij.org | Wesley Hottot

Good things come to those who wait. That principle proved true once again in November, when IJ’s ambitious challenge to civil forfeiture in Texas made its way back to the appellate courts after a decade-long effort. In 2014, IJ’s lawsuit aimed at Harris County’s forfeiture program came just one vote shy of obtaining review at the Texas Supreme Court. In a rare move, six of the nine justices wrote separately to outline the type of forfeiture challenge they would like to see in the future.

Oct 29, 2023 | wsj.com | Rob Johnson |Wesley Hottot

Stephanie Wilson was never accused of a crime, but Detroit police seized her car anyway. For nearly two years, Ms. Wilson asked to see a judge. But her requests were ignored, and, instead, she was forced to attend repeated pretrial conferences with prosecutors. Missing one would automatically mean losing her car forever. Ms. Wilson insisted she had done nothing wrong.

Sep 19, 2023 | metrotimes.com | Wesley Hottot |Daryl James

Police patrol their communities to keep them safe. But law enforcement agencies in Detroit enlist officers for a different purpose: making money for Wayne County. Fundraising was the objective in November 2018 during a traffic stop in a heavy-enforcement area. The police pulled over a nearly new Ford Fusion and seized it without issuing a citation or making an arrest. Using the car as ransom, Wayne County prosecutors then demanded $1,355 for its release.

Aug 30, 2023 | truthout.org | Frances Madeson |Eleanor Bader |Wesley Hottot |Naomi LaChance

Before she had turned 18, Syrah May Lark rode a unicycle across the United States. Now a month shy of 24, the precocious bike mechanic has been a co-lead for the successful Blue Krewe United unionization campaign in a state where union density is at its lowest in the last decade.

Aug 19, 2023 | ourcommunitynow.com | Wesley Hottot

If regulators can come after lower-income professionals at safe, responsible businesses, they can criminalize anyone.