Saturday, May 31, 2025

Latest

Texas Court Decision Could Uncork Home Distilling in the US

A federal judge in Texas has struck down a 156-year-old ban on home distilling, deeming it unconstitutional. The ruling, issued by US District Judge Mark Pittman, sides with the Hobby Distillers Association, which advocates for the legalization of personal spirit production.

Judge Pittman, appointed by former President Donald Trump, determined that the longstanding prohibition exceeded Congress’s taxing authority and violated the Constitution’s Commerce Clause. The decision includes a permanent injunction against enforcing the ban on the association’s members, though it has been stayed for two weeks to allow the government time to appeal.

The lawsuit, filed in December, challenged the government’s authority to regulate activities conducted within private homes. It named several enforcement agencies as defendants, including the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and the Department of Justice.

While the judge found that most individual plaintiffs failed to demonstrate a credible threat of prosecution, he ruled that the association and one member, Scott McNutt, had established potential harm from the ban’s enforcement. McNutt had received a warning letter from the TTB regarding possible legal consequences for purchasing distilling equipment.

The government defended the ban as a measure to protect tax revenue from distilled spirits by limiting production locations. However, Judge Pittman rejected this argument, stating that the prohibition did not raise revenue and merely “fermented a crime” statutorily.

Furthermore, the court found that the ban could not be justified under Congress’s power to regulate interstate commerce, as it did not contribute to comprehensive market regulation in the alcohol industry.


Information for this story was found via the sources and companies mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to the organizations discussed. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.

Leave a Reply

Video Articles

How To Profit From $3300 Gold? An Inside Look At A Massive 300,000 Oz Project | Martino De Ciccio

We’re At The Start of a Great Silver Boom | Ross McElroy & Andy Bowering – Apollo Silver Corp

Equinox Gold Q1 Earnings: When Everything Goes Wrong

Recommended

ESGold Begins Concentration Tests Ahead Of First Production

Sterling Metals Hits 0.21% Copper Over 482.8 Metres In First Drilling At Soo Copper project

Related News

BlackRock VP Pleads With Texas School Fund to Reconsider $8.5B Divestment

A senior BlackRock Inc (NYSE: BLK) executive recently expressed dismay over the Texas Permanent School...

Wednesday, March 27, 2024, 04:13:00 PM

Houston ISD Superintendent Under Scrutiny for Allegedly Funneling Money To Schools He Started

A local education advocacy group and Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis are calling for an...

Saturday, May 18, 2024, 07:23:00 AM

Texas Takes Wall Street Titans To Court Over Alleged Coal Cartel

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has initiated a federal antitrust lawsuit against major asset management...

Thursday, November 28, 2024, 10:32:19 AM

Texas Might Have To Build Gas Power Plants Themselves If Investors Don’t Says Lt Gov Dan Patrick

Last week in Houston, Texas, state politicians and energy sector leaders pitched to approximately 100...

Monday, February 12, 2024, 03:01:00 PM

Texas House Poised To Impeach Attorney General

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was on the verge of impeachment on Thursday, following years...

Friday, May 26, 2023, 12:45:00 PM