United States v. Munoz-Flores

This case raises the question whether 18 U. S. C. § 3013, which requires courts to impose a monetary “special assessment” on any person convicted of a federal misdemeanor, was passed in violation of the Origination Clause of the Constitution. That Clause mandates that “[a]ll Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives.” U. S. Const., Art. I, § 7, cl. 1. We conclude initially that this case does not present a political question and therefore reject the Government’s argument that the case is not justiciable. On the merits, we hold that the special assessment…