State law should have protected Marine veteran Stephen Lara during a traffic stop outside Reno, Nevada. But officers followed different rules when they opened his trunk and found a backpack full of cash.

Looking for a payday, the Nevada State Police seized the money without arresting Lara or accusing him of a crime. The government then tried to keep the money permanently, using a trick to sidestep the Nevada legislature. A court ruling on Jan. 10 restored order.

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