{"id":2573730,"date":"2026-02-25T20:33:01","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T01:33:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-weighs-fairness-of-hasty-home-auctions-in-tax-disputes\/"},"modified":"2026-02-25T20:34:24","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T01:34:24","slug":"supreme-court-weighs-fairness-of-hasty-home-auctions-in-tax-disputes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-weighs-fairness-of-hasty-home-auctions-in-tax-disputes\/","title":{"rendered":"Supreme Court weighs fairness of hasty home auctions in tax disputes"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsupreme-court-weighs-fairness-of-hasty-home-auctions-in-tax-disputes%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2573730&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Supreme Court is weighing how to measure fairness in tax-foreclosure home auctions.The case Pung v. Isabella County asks whether a family should be compensated for the fair market value of their home or only for the net profit from an auction when the property is sold to pay unpaid taxes. in the Michigan case,Isabella County seized the Pung family\u2019s home to cover about $2,242 in taxes and then sold it at auction for $76,008,though the fair market value was around $194,400; the county returned the auction profit to the family. the family argues damages should reflect the market value, while the state contends the appropriate measure is the auction result. Justices questioned what constitutes a \u201cfair\u201d foreclosure sale and whether there is any precedent for awarding market-value damages in such cases,with questions about whether an auction\u2019s forced nature affects the relevant measure.A decision is expected by the end of the Supreme Court\u2019s term,which could set broad standards for tax-foreclosure practices. The article also <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >notes upcoming high-profile cases<\/a> on gun restrictions, late-arriving ballots, and birthright citizenship.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Supreme Court weighs fairness of hasty home auctions in tax disputes<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2514228\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/supreme-court\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"203\">Supreme Court<\/a> grappled on Wednesday with what constitutes a &ldquo;fair&rdquo; home auction to pay off unpaid taxes, after a family sued for additional compensation after a Michigan county sold their home for less than half its market value to pay a tax debt.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-justice-dept-asks-supreme-court-to-save-obamacare\/\" title=\"Biden Justice Dept. Asks ... to Save Obamacare\">high court heard arguments<\/a> in <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4469604\/supreme-court-could-decide-fate-foreclosure-sales-unpaid-taxes\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4469604\/supreme-court-could-decide-fate-foreclosure-sales-unpaid-taxes\/\">Pung v. Isabella County<\/a><\/em>, which deals with whether a family&rsquo;s constitutional rights were violated when their seized property was sold for well under its market value as part of a tax foreclosure. Isabella County took the Pung family&rsquo;s home to pay $2,242 in unpaid taxes, penalties, and interest. The county then sold the property at auction for $76,008 despite its fair market value of $194,400 at the time. The county gave the net profit back to the family.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4471500\/supreme-court-allows-judges-block-lawyer-client-coaching-trial-recess\/\">Supreme Court allows judges to block lawyer-client &lsquo;coaching&rsquo; during overnight trial recess<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4469604\/supreme-court-could-decide-fate-foreclosure-sales-unpaid-taxes\/\">Supreme Court could decide the fate of foreclosure sales for unpaid taxes<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4470268\/trump-slams-supreme-court-tariff-ruling-in-front-of-justices\/\">Trump slams &#8216;unfortunate&#8217; Supreme Court tariff ruling in front of justices<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Justices appeared skeptical of the argument from the Pung family&rsquo;s lawyer, Phillip Ellison, that they should be entitled to the property&rsquo;s net market value, rather than only the net profit from the auction.<\/p>\n<p>Justice <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/sonia-sotomayor\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1921\">Sonia Sotomayor<\/a> questioned whether Ellison could point to any instance in which a court has awarded damages based on the market value rather than the auction price of a property.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Give me a holding from a court in our 250-year history where we have said that the measure of damages on a tax foreclosure is fair market value, not the auction price,&rdquo; Sotomayor questioned Ellison.<\/p>\n<p>Ellison responded that while there was no &ldquo;specific holding in this Court&rsquo;s history,&rdquo; there have been cases with &ldquo;parallel&rdquo; circumstances. Sotomayor said the fair market value of a property is not as relevant to an auction as it is to a traditional sale.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;An auction is a different, forced sale, and so it will yield a different measure,&rdquo; Sotomayor said.<\/p>\n<p>Chief Justice <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-roberts\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1007\">John Roberts<\/a> asked whether, if the auction was fairly conducted, the net profit from that auction would be sufficient compensation for the property.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If you&rsquo;re satisfied with the fairness of the process and it comes out with something below what you think is fair market value, is that just too bad?&rdquo; Roberts asked.<\/p>\n<p>Roberts further questioned Ellison about the fairness of the auction and what would have to go wrong before someone could seek damages for an &ldquo;unfair&rdquo; auction. Most of the justices had questions about what the standard for &ldquo;fairness&rdquo; in an auction should be as they weighed the Pung family&rsquo;s claim.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4469604\/supreme-court-could-decide-fate-foreclosure-sales-unpaid-taxes\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"4469604\">SUPREME COURT COULD DECIDE THE FATE OF FORECLOSURE SALES FOR UNPAID TAXES<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Supreme Court is expected to release an opinion in <em>Pung v. Isabella County<\/em> by the end of June, when the high court&rsquo;s current term concludes.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">The high court is set to hear oral arguments next week in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-will-hear-arguments-in-transgender-sports-cases-in-january\/\" title=\"... will hear arguments in transgender sports ...s in January\">high-profile gun case<\/a>,&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/3858101\/supreme-court-could-load-up-on-gun-cases-this-term\/\"><em>United States v. Hemani<\/em><\/a>, regarding laws that ban drug users from owning guns.<\/span> Later next month, the justices will hear a case involving <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4441369\/supreme-court-hear-challenge-late-arriving-ballot-laws-march\/\">late-arriving mail ballot laws<\/a>, <em>Watson v. RNC<\/em>, and in April, the Supreme Court will hear a case over the legality of President Donald Trump&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4439368\/trump-supreme-court-uphold-his-birthright-citizenship-order\/\">birthright citizenship order<\/a>, <em>Trump v. Barbara<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SCOTUS weighs fairness of rapid home tax auctions<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2638,"featured_media":2573731,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP26056258890053.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[60900,74598,74596,32275,74597],"class_list":["post-2573730","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-fairness-2","tag-foreclosures","tag-home-auctions","tag-supreme-court","tag-tax-disputes"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP26056258890053.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2573730","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2638"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2573730"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2573730\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2573734,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2573730\/revisions\/2573734"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2573731"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2573730"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2573730"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2573730"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}