Hall v. Meisner
Hall v. Meisner, 51 F.4th 185 (6th Cir. 2022)
- Court
- United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- Decided
- 2022-10-13
- Docket
- 21-1700
- Cited by later opinions
- 58
What happened
Michigan homeowners lost their homes over tax debts much smaller than the homes' value; the county transferred the homes and the owners got nothing for their equity.
What the court decided
The Sixth Circuit held the homeowners stated a federal takings claim: the owner's equitable title (equity) is property, and taking all of it for a smaller debt without compensation violates the Fifth Amendment.
In the court's words
“The return of that surplus compensates the debtor for her equitable interest in the property”
Why it may matter to you
Together with Tyler, it shows courts protecting the equity people build in their homes, even when taxes go unpaid.
Why it might not apply
Binding only in the Sixth Circuit (Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee); it reversed a dismissal, so the case continued.
Most useful when
- Your home was taken for taxes and you lost all your equity
How to cite it
The full citation for the first time you mention it, a short form for later, and a sample sentence you can adapt.
Hall v. Meisner, 51 F.4th 185 (6th Cir. 2022)Short formHall, 51 F.4th 185Draft — check it with free legal aid before you file or say it in court.
In Hall v. Meisner, 51 F.4th 185 (6th Cir. 2022), the court held that a homeowner's equity in property taken for a smaller tax debt is protected property, and taking it without compensation states a federal takings claim. Here, [say in one sentence what happened in your case]
Ask Techy about this case
Techy explains the case in plain words, why it may matter to you, its limits, and how to prepare. It only uses this case record.
Related cases
- Homeowner wonBinding
Tyler v. Hennepin County
598 U.S. 631 · Decided 2023
Geraldine Tyler, 94 years old, owed about $15,000 in property taxes on her Minneapolis condo. The county seized it, sold it for $40,000, and kept all of it.
Read the case - Homeowner lostBinding
Pung v. Isabella County
No. 25-95 (U.S. June 23, 2026) · Decided 2026
The Pung family owed about $2,242 in property taxes. Isabella County, Michigan, sold their home — assessed at $194,400 — for $76,008 at auction. Their representative argued they were owed the home's fair market value, not just the auction surplus.
Read the case - Homeowner wonBinding
Jones v. Flowers
547 U.S. 220 · Decided 2006
Gary Jones moved out of his Arkansas house but kept paying the mortgage. When taxes went unpaid, the state mailed notice by certified mail; it came back unclaimed, and the state sold the house anyway.
Read the case