No. 25-95
Michael Pung, Personal Representative of the Estate of Timothy Scott Pung v. Isabella County, Michigan
Amici (26)
Experienced Counsel
Tags: excessive-fine fair-market-value fifth-amendment government-seizure property-rights takings-clause
Key Terms:
Takings
Takings
Latest Conference:
2025-09-29
Question Presented (AI Summary)
Whether taking and selling a home to satisfy a debt to the government, and keeping the surplus value as a windfall, violates the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment when the compensation is based on the artificially depressed auction sale price rather than the property's fair market value?
Question Presented (from Petition)
are: 1. Whether taking and selling a home to satisfy a debt to the government, and keeping the surplus value as a windfall, violates the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment when the compensation is based on the artificially depressed auction sale price rather than the property’s fair market value? 2. Whether the forfeiture of real property worth far more than needed to satisfy a tax debt but sold for fraction of its real value constitute s an excessive fine under the Eighth Amendment, particularly when the debt was never actually owed?
Docket Entries
2026-02-10
Reply of Michael Pung submitted.
2026-01-26
Motion of the Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument GRANTED.
2026-01-21
CIRCULATED
2026-01-20
Amicus brief of National Tax Lien Association submitted.
2026-01-20
Amicus brief of Amici States Michigan, Colorado, Hawai’i, Illinois, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and District of Columbia submitted.
2026-01-20
Amicus brief of Hennepin County, Minnesota and The Minnesota County Attorneys Association (MCAA) submitted.
2026-01-20
Amicus brief of The Local Government Legal Center, National Association of Counties, National League of Cities, International Municipal Lawyers Association, Government Finance Officers Association, and International City/County Management Association submitted.
2026-01-20
Amicus brief of The Wisconsin Counties Association submitted.
2026-01-20
Brief amici curiae of Michigan, et al. filed. (Distributed)
2026-01-20
Brief amicus curiae of National Tax Lien Association filed. (Distributed)
2026-01-20
Brief amicus curiae of Wisconsin Counties Association filed. (Distributed)
2026-01-20
Brief amici curiae of Hennepin County, Minnesota, et al. filed. (Distributed)
2026-01-20
Brief amici curiae of Local Government Legal Center, et al. filed. (Distributed)
2026-01-16
Amicus brief of Oakland County submitted.
2026-01-16
Brief amici curiae of New York Association of Towns, et al. filed. (Distributed)
2026-01-15
Motion of the Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument filed.
2026-01-15
Brief amici curiae of Michigan Association of Counties, et al. filed.
2026-01-15
Motion of United States for leave to participate in oral argument and for divided argument submitted.
2026-01-15
Amicus brief of Michigan Association of Counties, Michigan Municipal League, Michigan Townships Association, and Michigan Association of County Treasurers submitted.
2026-01-14
Brief amicus curiae of Oakland County, Michigan filed. (Corrected)
2026-01-12
Brief of respondent County of Isabella, Michigan filed.
2026-01-12
Brief of respondent Isabella County, Michigan filed.
2026-01-09
Record received from the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. The record is electronic and is available on PACER.
2026-01-06
Record requested from the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
2026-01-02
SET FOR ARGUMENT on Wednesday, February 25, 2026.
2025-12-15
Amicus brief of Cyrus Sanai and Peyman Roshan submitted.
2025-12-11
Amicus brief of Citizen Action Defense Fund, Manhattan Institute, Reason Foundation, and Oregon Property Owners Association submitted.
2025-12-08
Brief amicus curiae of United States in support of neither party filed.
2025-12-08
Brief amici curiae of National Association of Realtors®, et al. filed.
2025-12-08
Brief amicus curiae of Legal Services of New Jersey filed.
2025-12-08
Brief amici curiae of Maryland Legal Aid, et al. filed.
2025-12-08
Brief amicus curiae of National Consumer Law Center filed.
2025-12-08
Brief amicus curiae of Pioneer New England Legal Foundation filed.
2025-12-08
Brief amici curiae of Citizen Action Defense Fund, et al. filed.
2025-12-08
Brief amici curiae of Cato Institute, et al. filed.
2025-12-08
Brief amici curiae of Cyrus Sanai, et al. filed.
2025-12-08
Brief amicus curiae of Constitutional Accountability Center filed.
2025-12-08
Amicus brief of Institute for Justice submitted.
2025-12-08
Amicus brief of Constitutional Accountability Center submitted.
2025-12-08
Amicus brief of The Mackinac Center Legal Foundation submitted.
2025-12-08
Amicus brief of The Buckeye Institute, National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Legal Center, Inc., Competitive Enterprise Institute, Mountain States Legal, Illinois Policy Institute, and Owners’ Counsel of America submitted.
2025-12-08
Amicus brief of AARP and AARP Foundation submitted.
2025-12-08
Amicus brief of Legal Services of New Jersey submitted.
2025-12-08
Amicus brief of National Consumer Law Center submitted.
2025-12-08
Amicus brief of Maryland Legal Aid and Mountain State Justice, Inc. submitted.
2025-12-08
Amicus brief of New Disabled South and Emory Law School Disabled Law Students Association submitted.
2025-12-08
Amicus brief of Chamber of Commerce of the United States submitted.
2025-12-08
Amicus brief of Citizen Action Defense Fund, Manhattan Institute, Reason Foundation, and Oregon Property Owners Association submitted.
2025-12-08
Amicus brief of Pioneer New England Legal Foundation submitted.
2025-12-08
Amicus brief of National Association of Realtors®, Michigan realtors®, Wisconsin Realtors® Association, and American Property Owners Alliance submitted.
2025-12-08
Amicus brief of National Taxpayers Union Foundation submitted.
2025-12-08
Amicus brief of United States submitted.
2025-12-08
Brief amicus curiae of AARP, et al. filed.
2025-12-08
Brief amicus curiae of Chamber of Commerce of the United States filed.
2025-12-08
Brief amicus curiae of The Mackinac Center Legal Foundation filed.
2025-12-08
Brief amici curiae of The Buckeye Institute, et al. filed.
2025-12-08
Brief amicus curiae of Institute for Justice filed.
2025-12-08
Brief amicus curiae of National Taxpayers Union Foundation filed.
2025-12-08
Brief amici curiae of New Disabled South, et al. filed.
2025-12-05
Brief amicus curiae of Professor Beth A. Colgan filed.
2025-12-05
Amicus brief of Beth A. Colgan submitted.
2025-12-01
Joint appendix filed.
2025-12-01
Brief of petitioner Michael Pung filed.
2025-12-01
Joint Appendix submitted.
2025-12-01
Brief of Michael Pung submitted.
2025-11-21
Brief amicus curiae of Joseph Donald Bourgeois filed.
2025-11-21
Amicus brief of Joseph Donald Bourgeois submitted.
2025-11-05
Motion to extend the time to file the briefs on the merits granted. The time to file the joint appendix and petitioner's brief on the merits is extended to and including December 1, 2025. The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including January 12, 2026.
2025-10-23
Motion for an extension of time to file the briefs on the merits filed.
2025-10-23
Motion of County of Isabella, Michigan for an extension of time submitted.
2025-10-22
Motion of Michael Pung for an extension of time submitted.
2025-10-22
Motion for an extension of time to file the joint appendix and petitioner's brief on the merits submitted.
2025-10-03
Petition GRANTED.
2025-09-12
Reply of petitioner Michael Pung filed. (Distributed)
2025-09-12
Reply of Michael Pung submitted.
2025-08-27
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/29/2025.
2025-08-13
Brief of respondent Isabella County, Michigan in opposition filed.
2025-08-13
Brief of respondent County of Isabella, Michigan in opposition filed.
2025-08-13
Brief of County of Isabella, Michigan in opposition submitted.
2025-07-22
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due August 25, 2025)
2025-05-16
Application (24A1102) granted by Justice Kavanaugh extending the time to file until July 25, 2025.
2025-05-13
Application (24A1102) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from May 27, 2025 to July 25, 2025, submitted to Justice Kavanaugh.
Attorneys
AARP and AARP Foundation
Ali Naini — AARP Foundation, Amicus
Ali Naini — AARP Foundation, Amicus
Ali Naini — AARP Foundation, Amicus
Amici States Michigan, Colorado, Hawai’i, Illinois, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and District of Columbia
Beth A. Colgan
Beth A. Colgan — UCLA School of Law, Amicus
Beth A. Colgan — UCLA School of Law, Amicus
Beth A. Colgan — UCLA School of Law, Amicus
Cato Institute, et al.
Ilya Somin — Amicus
Ilya Somin — Amicus
Ilya Somin — Amicus
Daniel Robert Suhr — Hughes & Suhr LLC, Amicus
Daniel Robert Suhr — Hughes & Suhr LLC, Amicus
Daniel Robert Suhr — Hughes & Suhr LLC, Amicus
Chamber of Commerce of the United States
Citizen Action Defense Fund, Manhattan Institute, Reason Foundation, and Oregon Property Owners Association
Sam Spiegelman — Citizen Action Defense Fund, Amicus
Sam Spiegelman — Citizen Action Defense Fund, Amicus
Sam Spiegelman — Citizen Action Defense Fund, Amicus
Constitutional Accountability Center
County of Isabella, Michigan
Douglas James Curlew — Cummings, McClorey, Davis & Acho, P.L.C., Respondent
Matthew T. Nelson — Warner Norcross + Judd LLP, Respondent
Matthew T. Nelson — Warner Norcross + Judd LLP, Respondent
Douglas James Curlew — Cummings, McClorey, Davis & Acho, P.L.C., Respondent
Douglas James Curlew — Cummings, McClorey, Davis & Acho, P.L.C., Respondent
Matthew T. Nelson — Warner Norcross + Judd LLP, Respondent
Cyrus Sanai and Peyman Roshan
Hennepin County, Minnesota and The Minnesota County Attorneys Association (MCAA)
Institute for Justice
Samuel Bracken Gedge — Institute for Justice, Amicus
Samuel Bracken Gedge — Institute for Justice, Amicus
Samuel Bracken Gedge — Institute for Justice, Amicus
Joseph Donald Bourgeois
Legal Services of New Jersey
Maryland Legal Aid and Mountain State Justice, Inc.
Lee H. Ogburn — Maryland Legal Aid, Amicus
Lee H. Ogburn — Maryland Legal Aid, Amicus
Lee H. Ogburn — Maryland Legal Aid, Amicus
Michael Pung
Philip Lee Ellison — Outside Legal Counsel PLC, Petitioner
Philip Lee Ellison — Outside Legal Counsel PLC, Petitioner
Philip Lee Ellison — Outside Legal Counsel PLC, Petitioner
Michigan Association of Counties, Michigan Municipal League, Michigan Townships Association, and Michigan Association of County Treasurers
Theodore Wilson Seitz — Dykema Gossett PLLC, Amicus
Theodore Wilson Seitz — Dykema Gossett PLLC, Amicus
Theodore Wilson Seitz — Dykema Gossett PLLC, Amicus
National Association of Realtors®, Michigan realtors®, Wisconsin Realtors® Association, and American Property Owners Alliance
Gerald Brinton Lucas — Jones Day, Amicus
Gerald Brinton Lucas — Jones Day, Amicus
Gerald Brinton Lucas — Jones Day, Amicus
National Consumer Law Center
John Rao — National Consumer Law Center, Inc., Amicus
John Rao — National Consumer Law Center, Inc., Amicus
John Rao — National Consumer Law Center, Inc., Amicus
National Tax Lien Association
Andrew Scott Kazin — Bronster LLP, Amicus
Andrew Scott Kazin — Bronster LLP, Amicus
Andrew Scott Kazin — Bronster LLP, Amicus
National Taxpayers Union Foundation
New Disabled South and Emory Law School Disabled Law Students Association
New York Association of Towns
Oakland County
Pioneer New England Legal Foundation
Frank Joseph Bailey — Pioneer Legal, LLC, Amicus
Frank Joseph Bailey — Pioneer Legal, LLC, Amicus
Frank Joseph Bailey — Pioneer Legal, LLC, Amicus
The Buckeye Institute, National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Legal Center, Inc., Competitive Enterprise Institute, Mountain States Legal, Illinois Policy Institute, and Owners’ Counsel of America
Jay Randall Carson — The Buckeye Institute, Amicus
Jay Randall Carson — The Buckeye Institute, Amicus
Jay Randall Carson — The Buckeye Institute, Amicus
The Local Government Legal Center, National Association of Counties, National League of Cities, International Municipal Lawyers Association, Government Finance Officers Association, and International City/County Management Association
The Mackinac Center Legal Foundation
The Wisconsin Counties Association
Matthew Jeffrey Thome — Attolles Law, s.c., Amicus
Matthew Jeffrey Thome — Attolles Law, s.c., Amicus
Matthew Jeffrey Thome — Attolles Law, s.c., Amicus
United States
D. John Sauer — Solicitor General, Amicus
D. John Sauer — Solicitor General, Amicus
D. John Sauer — Solicitor General, Amicus