Caroline Baltay | Culley v. Marshall

This case arises from the consolidation of two similar cases. The city of Satsuma, Alabama, seized Ms. Halima Culley’s car after her son was pulled over while driving it and charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Ms. Lena Sutton’s car was seized after a friend was pulled over by Leesburg, Alabama police while driving and charged with possession of methamphetamine. Culley and Sutton used the innocent-owner defense and obtained summary judgment on the corresponding civil asset forfeiture cases.