City Destroyed Her Property. They Refuse to Pay.
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- The U.S. Constitution says that when the government takes your property, it must pay you “just compensation.” But what if, instead of paying you just compensation, it gives you an IOU that you can never cash in? That’s exactly what happened to Melisa and Mike Robinson.
In 2009, public workers in Okay, Oklahoma, devastated a small mobile-home park Melisa and Mike own and operate. The local sewer authority, which had a sewer easement on the property next door, sent workers out to build a new sewer line. Instead of working on the property they owned, though, they dug up sewer lines on Melisa and Mike’s land without any legal authorization. The damage was massive-beyond the damage from the digging itself, misaligned sewer lines failed to drain, and clipped power lines sparked power outages. Inside the tenants’ homes, toilets couldn’t flush, showers wouldn’t drain, and appliances blew out. It was a disgusting mess. When Okay officials refused to fix their mistake, Melisa and Mike ended up fixing the pipes themselves.
Then they sued. Exercising the same rights enjoyed by property owners nationwide, they filed a lawsuit claiming that the unauthorized construction on their property was a “taking.” The logic is simple: If Okay had followed the rules, it would have been required to use eminent domain to take the Robinsons’ property before building a sewer line, and eminent domain requires the government to pay just compensation. Since the government didn’t pay compensation before it wrecked the property, it should be required to pay now. In other words, the rule in the Constitution is the same as the rule in Pottery Barn: You break it, you buy it.
And they won. In a case that went all the way up to the Oklahoma Supreme Court, Melisa and Mike were awarded tens of thousands of dollars in compensation for the taking of their property. So far, the system was working the way it was supposed to. The government took Melisa and Mike’s property, but a court ordered the government to pay them for what it took.
Then things took a turn. The problem is that sewer construction in Okay isn’t run by the Okay town government. It’s all run by the Okay Public Works Authority-a “public trust” that was legally established by the town. The Public Works Authority is run by the same six officials that were elected to run the town, but technically, it’s not part of the town. That’s where Okay officials tried to get clever. As it turns out, the Public Works Authority doesn’t have any money. It has the power of eminent domain, sure, but it doesn’t have any assets or revenues it could use to pay for the property it takes-those all belong to the town. And so Melisa and Mike, despite the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s ruling in their favor, haven’t received a single cent in compensation, even though they are owed more than $200,000 at this point. The court judgment in their favor is just an unenforceable IOU.
That’s not just wrong-it’s unconstitutional. That is why Melisa and Mike have teamed up with the Institute for Justice to file a federal civil-rights lawsuit demanding that Okay officials pay them for what they took. Okay is far from alone in thinking that it’s come up with a clever way to avoid its constitutional obligations. This lawsuit will make sure that it joins the ranks of government officials who learned the hard way that the Constitution is not a suggestion. It’s mandatory.
15 years and still not paid back? But guarantee if she misses one years worth of property taxes, they’d be ready to seize the land in a second.
They have been counting on her missing a tax payment so they could take the land.
America for ya. I’m disgusted to the bone marrow of what this country has turned into. On Many levels it’s turned into to h$ll with demons running everything and everywhere and a lot of the people have turned into mental mindless cowards. Americans home of the slaves not the brave. Hope you get mad at those words and wake up Americans!
It’s a shame she can’t withhold her payments to the city until they match up with what they owe her… Kind of like garnishing their wages
She should take city equipment until she gets her money by having said equipment auctioned off
@@jonathanjones3126 the bailiff option..
If there is a valid court order, not stayed pending an appeal or some such, and the city refuse to pay then the issuing judge should place a seize and sell order on city property.
Apparently the people doing the damage fall in a “public trust” category and there’s no money. The town/city shouldn’t do anything without insurance coverage if that’s the case.
@kaseyboles30 maybe their is some road equipment....
Amen!
@@jonathanjones3126 Frankly at this point the judge should be considering contempt charges with jail time for officials. Unless literally the city coffers do not contain the money (as in the check would bounce like flubber). In which case they should be ordered to make payments until the whole amount plus appropriate interest.
@@kaseyboles30 Simple. Place a prepaid tax amount into the properties account. Should cover at least a decade or so of tax bills.
Politicians seem to be one of the most dangerous predators in our country.
Why we have the Declaration of Independence!!! Too bad know one knows what it says!!!!
Understatement of the last two centuries...
Politicians are crooks that belong in jail.
Investors....
You can tell that people have no idea what problems we actually face when comments like this get so much support. Politicians are pawns. Corporate lobbying is the real problem we face.
Funny how the law magically stops mattering when it's violated by a government employee...
Not really. It is about whom they hurt. A poor person in the usa has no rights, what they gonna do sue them? With what money
Thats what happened when u vote republican
@@hbt739Government workers vote overwhelmingly Democrat so the question is why are Democrats abusing citizens like this? 🤔
Funny how humans are doing this to each other. Because you know if the shoe was on the other foot it would be different.
Imagine the city of less than 600 people with a household number of less than 250 has any money to give this lady.
@@kameljoe21 Imagine messing up so bad that your citizens now have an extra burden.
I hope they have to pay for your legal fees also.
And interest. The city is legally in debt to them.
And a BIG compensation for all the heartache and stress that was put upon by a corrupt local government.
I wonder how much a city of less than 600 people in less than 250 households has in the bank. I doubt they have any funds at all. This is why she has not been paid in years. Because there is likely no money left over. She knows this and they know it.
What real good is our legal system when a losing party can just ignore the courts order and refuse to comply? What a toothless dog!
Our legal system is a joke
I came to the US because I believed that it was a fair upstanding society where freedom and doing the right thing reigns supreme. Boy, how wrong I was. Thank you IJ for standing up against tyrants that seem to multiply by the day.
Why do foreigners belive the propaganda? Because their country is just as bad
At least you have some recourse in the US. Basically everywhere else you're completely screwed.
I hope you vote republican because it will only get worse voted democrat which is basically socialism/communism.. and im betting that's why you're not living in your country now
@@nam3ofus3r Just shows how little you know about "basically everywhere else".
@@nam3ofus3rthey don’t want you to leave. They want you to a tay and “pay your fair share” 😂
This isn't a civil issue, this is criminal, at multiple levels.
It's both!
I think the statute of limitations on criminal damage has passed though after 15 years.
The issue is that the criminals are no longer in office.
Yep they pass it on every couple years. Nobody wants to go after political figures even in small towns. Look at the dalton il mayor. If she loses the election the mayor gets paid 25k a year. If she wins it stays at 6 figures. 😂 the fact that is allowed and happens more than one would think is just another glaring issue that gets ignored.
No it’s not!
No one’s playing by the rules any more!
Nobody has ever played by the rules lol
Remind me when the government played by the rules?
That’s right. Never play by the rules. Rules are for s……
@ MALCSTA
that is like saying cops rarely acted unlawfully until
phone cams and they started being videoed a lot 🙄
The city should be held in contempt and fined in addition to reimbursement.
Imagine winning your case at the state level supreme court, and still losing?!!! What? that makes no sense. They should be able to go back to the court and force the city to pay, once and for all.
Oh man. INJUSTICE is exactly what this is.
My question is why haven't you moved to seize their bank accounts and city property?
Because the city likely employees armed Sheriffs, to prevent such things.
you cant seize public property. that belongs to the public not the officials who made the unlawful decision.
@@TheHavnmonkey the court can.
Justice comes to those who can afford it. $$$$$$$$
@TheHavnmonkey that is false. The government is an entity like anyone else. They can have liens put against their property.
All those lawyer fees & court orders AND no money? Sounds like a waste of 15 years, to win a case if you don’t get compensated. Where’s the justice?
Seriously? How do every day folks that don’t have 150k to fix and sue, supposed to go against tyrants that take 38% of our income?! This is scandalous! Disgusting
I HATE TO TELL THAT YOUR TAXES ARE HIGHER THAN 38% MORE TO THE 56%
Yeah 38% when you get paid and then sales tax when you buy something and then property tax on what you have already been taxed on. More like over 50% easily.
The lawyers have been milking it out for 15 years? Can't you just put a lean on the towns Bank accounts and go after their assets? Typical two tier legal system in this country.
I bet the lawyers have already been paid as much or more then the dept that is was initially owed.
Well they work like the father of all lies, whom they worship on high levels of our system. Truthful heavenly Father is not their God. You know them by their fruits..
Small town corruption easily goes unnoticed. A local city had a reputation for tickets for going 3mph over. After a few decades, someone at the state level got angry and investigated. Turns out, tickets contributed to over 70% of their revenue. The state stripped their police charter. Unironically, speed traps in neighboring cities disappeared within a month.
I heard of a town in OH that lost its incorporation, and thus its ability to have a police dept, because of writing bogus tickets for dirty taillights and such. I think Damascus AR go in big trouble too.
If a citizen goes to the town hall, digs up the ground and cuts off utilities, I believe the city would bill them and expect the citizen to pay for the damages and rebuilding. I always love to turn things one their head, and see if can work the issue the other way round to make sense of it all.
They'd go straight to jail!
You’re exactly right. We’re supposed to have equal protection under law
Should hold the city council and attorney in contempt and treason jail time
They probably spent more in fighting the case than they would have if they just payed her. Wasteful idiots.
They are spending her tax dollars to fight her. They don't care.
Good for her and the Institute.
The courts should allow her to seize her cost for $80,000 or more by going in and seizing the city's water supply's assets: furniture, supplies, equipment, including their vehicles and so forth.
They have no intention of paying, they've never had any intention of paying.
The "City" didn't do this to her. Some PEOPLE did this to her. People with names and faces. And this video should have shown us those names and faces.
The faces change, but the government stays the same
In other words, "Somebody did something to to someone ".
It's the civic cult flunkies aka the magic apron cult and reeEStards attempting to disguise themselves as our government
What? The appellate court gave a judgement in this woman's favour. The contractors were hired by the city. Therefore, what are you talking about?
The City had the responsibility to guarantee their work. By not doing so, using the private land as an easement without compensation, and refusing to pay the bill when found at fault by the courts ... it means it's the City's fault. Not sure what rock you lived under.
What the heck. They digging around my house now and making me nervous. The fact they are fighting and not paying is a crime. Needs to be a "peaceful protest" around there.
Document and video tape everything, just in case.
You do know its a city of less than 600 people in less than 250 households right? Its not even a large neighborhood.
The problem in America, the Judicial branch has no teeth to enforce a ruling.
If you visit your city planning department, they will have a master plan which was laid out before the city was developed. It will include things like locations for future roadways and easements. If an easement runs through your property, the city (and companies they give permission to like utilities) have the right to enter onto your property to access that easement.
Presumably that was _not_ the case here since she won in court. But the specifics of her case were not detailed in the video. (c.f. the case where a guy bought a plot of land and built his home for retirement on it. Only to find out later that an easement ran through his land, and he's now being required to move his home so they can access the easement. Be careful to read all the documents you get when buying a property.)
We dont protest for people like her.
Maybe if she was a proud POC we would go help out
Have a lawyer bill them for this for the community with interest and keep sending it every month with growing interest.
How is this not contempt of court?
She should go to a good judge and show them her legal documents and ask for a warrant to confiscate the towns property including computers and vehicles. How fast do you think they're pay up. And the local sheriff has to help her.
Did the government just up and decide, "We're bored. Let's go and try to ruin this trailer park lady's life!"? It sure seems like people get into government and just decide to be evil for no reason whatsoever!
There's always a reason and in small towns it's usually political. Someone on the board has a personal connection to the matter. Why else would they keep fighting a losing battle? Somebody got paid to go to court all those times defending the town and I bet the total legal bill is more than what was owed to the trailer park. The problem isn't government, it's complacency. Good people need to be involved and not just people who are looking for power and a quick buck.
More than likely the contractor doing the shoddy work is a friend or family member of someone on that board. Small towns work almost exclusively on nepotism. At least the corrupt ones do.
@@BrianBoniMakes I doubt the city paid very much in legal bills. Keep in mind the city is less than 600 people in less than 250 households. How much money do you think the city has a year? I highly doubt they have more than 100k annual budget.
You've no idea how true that is!
There is usually an incentive involved for cities that do this sort of thing, monetary incentives. It's shady, underhanded & unjust behavior by morally bankrupt fools...
Drain board moved onto my land 1/23. Bulldozers, backhoes, no notice. Destroyed 12 acres of hardwood trees many over 100 years old and close to harvest. This year they widened the road all on my side with no notice. Getting old.
You did not see the notice that was posted in the basement of town hall? (/sarcasm)
This RUclips channel is educational and factual, offering overall excellent content.
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@@MeRia035 hipocrit
You can put liens on city property for that. There are precedents.
The mayor, the entire city council and the City attorney should all be remove from their positions and jailed immediately, the contractor who was obviously in on it and liable as well, after being ordered by the judge to compensate personally completely all expenditures and losses.
Please donate this is one truly worthwhile organization that needs all of our help!
When I was living in Seattle there had been a new apartment complex being put up on the other side of the block. When they started cutting into the ground and road to install new lines someone screwed up, either someone didn't check the city records or someone didn't properly update the city records, and wound up cutting into the main power lines for a 6 block area. I was stuck without power for 2 days. Had to discard a couple hundred dollars worth of refridgerated groceries and charge my devices and usb power blocks at work to get me through the night.
Its always a hassle when contractors don't do their jobs right and then they blame the city, the city blames the contractors, and then in the end the citizens pay the price for it all. I think those local citizens should also sue for their tax dollars back, the very tax dollars that were used to pay the contractors.
“They’re in a trailer park? Meh who cares. Let’s move on.”
That’s their attitude here.
My twin sister and I live in a trailer park a few blocks from eachother. The utility company came thru this year and forced all of us on digital meters (even though we told them they were to leave our analog meter alone & agreed to pay extra to keep it). Now they are coming through and tearing up every yard to replace gas lines (even though utility companies are notorious for not doing repairs). They are forcing their way inside every home to re-light things. It's a huge invasion of privacy and I believe they are doing it with ulterior motives. We want to move off-grid but can't afford to. All of us are just sitting ducks.🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
@@greatestever8976never let a utility company have rights to your property. Problem solved
@@rarefruit2320 I filed a police report. We have every right to keep our homes free from dangerous & harmful devices that are doing illegal surveillance on us.
I went to work one day and the company altered the machine i was hurt on. That was 40 years ago. Ive suffered 40 years i was awarded a sertlement and still havent seen a penny. 😢 my heart goes out to you. Im so sorry. Our government agencies do these things to people.
She seems fairly calm about it ... most people would be raging maniacs 😊.
Seems to me that she should be able to foreclose on the city's property in some way since they're refusing to pay a judgement against them.
At this point we are better off without government. It’s the People who actually do the work and pay for things.
Plain and simple!
And the truly good people are the ones helping each other out when someone needs a helping hand. Such as in cases like natural disasters where the local govt should be assisting but fall abysmally short. Too many examples of this...
Gmint is all about controlling the peons.
Try to come dig up my private property without permission, it's gonna end a WHOLE LOT DIFFERENT
F the government.
You do understand that is state government. And not only state government but a Republican state government. Failures of Republican governance is not a failure of government. It is a failure of leadership and governance at that level of are federalist form of government. Please focus you contempt at the right people.
F the British government, as well.
@@Kenobi-vu9mbUh huh. All those lines the government hit? Those are public infrastructure provided by the government in the first damn place. You used government-provided infrastructure--the Internet--to view this video and to make your dumb little comment. Chalking everything up to "government bad" is a simplistic, reductive, pea-brained take. Try focusing your efforts on making sure good people are running the government instead.
@@Kenobi-vu9mb it’s not a left that want to eliminate oversight of the three levels of government over each other. It is inefficient but it make for a more transparent government. Any time you hear someone talking about states rights they are say they want zero oversight by the federal government. The reality is state and local governments are the biggest violators of your constitutional rights than the federal government. That is just a fact. I think states and local governments should question the federal government when they are violating your constitutional rights as well.
You get the government you deserve
They have to pay me for taking something? What am I getting for being harassed every time I fly? Oh, I forgot, they call it “safety”
I wonder if she could put a lien on City Hall? 😂
You do understand that this is a city of less than 600 people in less than 250 households. How much money do you think the city has.
Recently family owned trailer park was told them have to have a back flow to their main sewer to prevent sewer backing up through the lines.Cost around $6000
Utterly despicable behavior by our American Government
The only behavior they have
No surprise when you look at how they treated the native Americans.
Lack of ACCOUNTABILITY is the single biggest problem in this country. From federal government politicians/judges/law enforcement/bureaucrats & the local versions of the same they are rarely held to account for their intentional & unintentional deeds/words.
Take them to Federal Court under the FIFTH AMENDMENT.
Oh! Great idea! Lets watch her waste thousands more dollars she'll never recoup!
Rules for thee but not for me!
Have IJ charge interest, penalties, and all of the lawyers' fees. Just like the tyrannical government does
Did the BiIIdozer teach them nothing?
No. Most people have to learn the hard way. It is what it is
@@rarefruit2320 I honestly HATE that phrase, “it is what it is”. That’s a defeatist attitude.
@Kenobi-vu9mb If you “HAVE NO TIME” then WHY are you even tossing in your two bits here? Sounds quite hypocritical to me, and I bet to many others here who know the TRUTH!. You have your CHOICE to accept or reject the Creator of the Universe. You, in your ARROGANCE are choosing Eternal Separation from God. I promise you that unless you change you will remember this lil chat for eternity. Jesus provided THE way of salvation because He paid the penalty for you and for me, BUT, just like any free GIFT you have to accept it. Cheers. I pray that you heed the warnings. Jesus says in the Bible, “I am THE way, THE Truth, and THE life. No one comes to the Father except thru Me.”
John 14
@@Kenobi-vu9mb Alex never mentioned having to face it alone.
If a similar congregation of predators comes for you and your realist friends, wouldn't you rather mobilize and reach higher than just sitting in it?
@@alexrodgers9247 You speak of hypocrisy, but you posit eternal servitude to a being that's either cruel or uncaring regarding human circumstances as if that's not defeatist.
Did I get any of this wrong?
Foreclose on the city. That ought to get their attention.
Except the city, does the foreclosures.
just amazing that they lose and they still don't pay. The judge should been asked to make payment immediate.
Isn't this defiance of a court order or decision? They lost in court and haven't paid...Call the cops, this is a judicial judgement and it is being defied, so the police should have the legal power to demand the payment for you, or the losing party should be incarcerated...
Local police are owned by the city. Sheriffs don't do their jobs. State Police think it not their problem.
The city has a council that are citizens. Take each one to civil court for their decisions. Make them prove that they are not prejudiced against you.
Sounds like my case here in Canada. The ministry of transportation widened highway and place there infrastructure on my land . Didn’t expropriate didn’t compensate. Almost 14 years fighting in court. They keep delaying. They will not win
you pay property taxes.........YOU DONT OWN YOUR PROPERTY IN AMERICA
Which is horseshit! The people have to stand!
The construction workers and city officials were most likely related to the elderly poor people she evicted and made homeless because their trailers weren't clean enough.
Why hasn't the city been held in contempt or had its assets seized yet?
Is it sad that the average citizens only goal is to stay out of the crosshairs of local govt?
They treated the owner that way because it was a trailer park.
This really gets me fired up and angry. I must hold back, I'll say something I might regret.
So, the Court is toothless to enforce a council to pay for the damages!! What an impotent justice!
Hypocrisy, it's their game, that's how evil works.
Rules for thee...
That’s happening to me right here in rural Kentucky. It involves the county Creek County Road the border is my property. They’re making such a mess and after five years it’s worse than ever.
Could you post more infirmary about this? Why aren't they paying? What's their excuse? What is the ifj doing?
"the fifth amendment is a requirement, not a suggestion" Gives me Saul Goodman vibes. "Did you know you have rights? The constitution says you do!"
Thanks for getting the word out
Someone says you can't sue to get back from the city since it's public property. How can a city go bankrupt if it's public property? I know years ago one or two cities went bankrupt. If they can file for bankruptcy, they can have lien held and property sold. This lady should be able to appoint Mayor of this city if she does it right!
She sued the Water Company and won; the water company says it has no money. So NOW she is suing the Town of Okay.
Why can't she place a lien against the town.
And who will enforce it? The city attorney? The city police?
The government people who refuse to follow the law, should be in jail!
The city's bank account should be attached and the funds extracted by the court!
I remember a guy who got forclosed on by Bank of America. He fought it and won. Then his lawyer forclosed on local bank of america branch. When the bank refused to pay, they showed up with a moving crew and started to empty the business of computers, desks, office chairs, etc.
The bank cut them a check and got their stuff back.
The point is, maybe you should try to forclose on the county courthouse or put a lien on the property. Maybe that's what it would take to get their attention.
How long will we the people tolerate this?
Seems like forever. No one seems to care about anyone else as long as they have a comfortable life, that is all that matters to them.
Sue the company too
where is accountability
Can she use the kegal process where she starts by taking what thr city owns. Like buildings and vehicles and things like that
Get a court order to start seizing property from the city's building for compensation (plus damages, interest, and court fees). I bet the city will suddenly be very willing to pay up.
Now you gotta sue them again to get your money
You see, what you want to do is get yourself a bulldozer...
What about a suite on the contractor as in Michigan they are required to have liability insurance. If insurance won’t cover the damages a judgment a forfeit order & sale of equipment may.
Well, 15 years. Period. Me thinks it’s time for her to go into court and start filing liens on government buildings. They don’t wanna pay her for the mess they made, they can pay her for the interest, penalties, the original judgment, and any other expenses that she’s incurred. When government building start getting seized for nonpayment, they’ll get the idea that maybe they should not put this off.
This just goes to show you it is never "your property".
You have a judgment from the highest court in the state. Send the city a letter of demand for payment. If they fail to pay FORCLOSE on everything the city owns and auction it off
Does COVID remind you of this? Look at all the businesses that were shut down by the government, without receiving any compensation, never to open again.
"I'm from the government, and I'm here to help."
Please help Americans. And THANK YOU!
@pro...... - What that mean ?
Put a lean on City Hall and police department, fire department, etc.
There might be something else going on. I found an old story where the city refused to put a water meter for her mobile home park. She sued and the city agreed to do it and still dragged their feet.
July 2024 a friend of mine in Ramona California owns a home which has an City easement. There is a sewer line under his garage and driveway. The city wants to replace the sewer line and compensate him 17,000 for the removal of his two car garage and 100 ft driveway. Replacement of the garage and driveway will cost at least $40,000. He was told by his city employees if he didn't accept this offer they would pay nothing and simply exercise their easement. Of course the timing couldn't be worse because he and his wife are in the middle of a divorce and the home is going to need to be sold to satisfy the divorce. Obviously without a driveway and garage the value of the home according to the real estate agent is about $50,000 less. So what would you do? Spend the $20,000 to replace the driveway and garage to gain the 50,000 or pocket the 17,000 and eat the Los in the sale?.
Doesn't sound just, but there were conditions on that easement.
Here's the real question: is avoiding the hassle of rebuilding (and permitting) the garage & driveway worth $10k?
Either lose $33k doing nothing, or spend $23k by rebuilding.
@@YouveBeenMiddled well that's some pretty good math but you also have to add in the fact that he's in the middle of a divorce and will be having to find new housing and he owns and runs his own business working 50 to 60 hours a week. I'm going with let the new owner put in their own garage and driveway I think my buddy's got enough on his plate.
@@jimda4910 That's why I highlighted the difference.
To some, the $10k is a deal breaker. To others, that's money well spent for piece of mind.
Please keep us updated on this situation 🙏🏿
This lady needs to call a constable and have her award for damages enforced. Have them seize the cities main office building with all the stuff in it. The city will pay up quick like. This is the same lengths you must go through to get big banks to pay their settlements and it works really really well. When a large bank main office is shut down and seized by a constable the bank comes up with certified checks for the entire amount in no time at all. If she has an award then she needs to call the constable.
It's time to foreclose on City Hall!
She needs to file leins against all public buildings until she is paid for the damages plus interest!.
Justice delayed is justice denied
show this story before, any young man or women enters a recrucitment office, let them know this is what ur risking ur life for
With a city population of around 500 residents, and 27% of its residents living below the poverty line, getting the money back could take a long , long, time.
Thanks for sharing institute for Justice ⚖️. It's only fair this family gets reimbursed 🤔.
I had similar thing happen to my property, In my case the city did good and fix the broken sewer line in the back alley, that a cable company had broke years ago when trenching in new cable/internet lines. i still lost 800bucks in plumbing (hydro jetting) and sewer camera work. 😮
Where's the GoFundme for her? I'll give money! I'll send it right away!
King County Sheriff (Seattle) did $60K in damages to my property as retaliation for knowing what the 4th amendment was. Then they framed me for a felony but were so sloppy they went on record insisting 3 + 1 = 3. I sued. Their lawyer, King County Senior Prosecutor, David Hackett defended their assertion that 3 + 1 = 3, then King County Superior Court Judge McHale agreed that 3 + 1 = 3 and dismissed my case.
I have not forgiven , nor forgotten. If I see a drowning cop and I'm standing next a to a machine that throws life preservers and I just need to push a button to save his life, I will not lift that finger.
15 years! They owe her at least $2M in damages. Can't be waiting and fighting this for 15 damn years!
It's the biggest problem with suing government. Sometimes, when you get a judgment against a government entity, it takes the elected officials to authorize the payment before the government can pay you. That's why the IOU is worthless.
Heck, in LA, it's in their constitution that every payment made from tax dollars must be authorized by elected officials. As such, New Orleans has millions, potentially billions now, of dollars from judgments that the elected officials simply never authorize to be paid. They owe it. They will need to pay it. However, until they authorize it, it can't be paid. Also, you can't penalize an elected official for the vote that official casts provided the item being voted on is under the jurisdiction of that elected official.