The U.S. Supreme Court agrees to review a challenge brought by an Alaska bush pilot after the state sought to seize his aircraft following a passenger’s attempt to bring alcohol into a dry village. The case centers on Kenneth (Ken) Jouppi and his 1969 Cessna airplane, valued at about $95,000, which Alaska authorities targeted after a passenger brought a six-pack of Budweiser aboard a flight bound for Beaver, a remote community where alcohol is banned. Jouppi disputes that he knew about the alcohol. He argues that taking his plane would be an unconstitutional punishment, pointing in particular to the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on “excessive fines.” Several reports describe the underlying incident as occurring in or around April 2012, when Jouppi was preparing to fly a passenger from Fairbanks to Beaver. Alaska’s position is that the seizure is lawful in connection with the alcohol brought into the dry zone. The Supreme Court’s decision will determine whether the state can seize the aircraft under these circumstances and how the constitutional limits on excessive fines apply.