Recovering $735K After a Hemp Raid

The Seizure

On May 9, 2024, officers from the Spring Hill Police Department executed search warrants at Old School Vapor and SAK Wholesale in Columbia, Tennessee. They seized 231 pounds of hemp products the businesses had purchased, tested, and sold in reliance on state and federal hemp regulations.

The lawsuit that followed described the seizure as the product of a fundamental misunderstanding of cannabis law.

• Federal law: Since the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp with less than 0.3% THC has been legal and is classified as an agricultural product, not a controlled substance.
• Tennessee law: The state also separates legal hemp from illegal marijuana based on THC concentration.

Despite these legal distinctions, the District Attorney’s comment that hemp and marijuana are “the same damn thing” drew widespread attention to the raid.

The Legal Challenge

The seizure threatened to destroy businesses that had operated lawfully and in good faith. Old School Vapor and SAK Wholesale turned to Litson PLLC to fight back.

Filing in Federal Court

Litson filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee against:

• District Attorney Brent Cooper, in both his official and individual capacities
• Spring Hill Police Chief Don Brite
• Sergeant Andrew Burdett
• The City of Spring Hill

The complaint alleged violations of the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable searches and seizures and the Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantee of due process.

It argued that law enforcement had no legal basis to seize products that complied with state and federal hemp regulations, and that the seizure was an unconstitutional taking of lawful property.

Building the Case

Through discovery and expert analysis, Litson marshaled evidence that the seized products were legal under state and federal law. The hemp had been tested, certified, and sold in reliance on applicable regulations, and the businesses kept documentation supporting the legality of their inventory.

The legal team also documented the losses the raid caused:

• The value of the seized inventory
• Lost sales
• Damage to customer relationships
• Harm to the businesses’ reputations in the community

The Resolution

In March 2025, the defendants agreed to resolve the case for $735,000. The defendants denied liability, and the settlement includes no admission of wrongdoing.

231 pounds seized. $735,000 recovered.

The settlement was divided equally:

• $367,500 paid through the Tennessee Board of Claims on behalf of District Attorney Brent Cooper
• $367,500 paid by the City of Spring Hill’s insurance carrier on behalf of the City, Chief Brite, and Sergeant Burdett
• Seized equipment returned by the City of Spring Hill, including computers, label printers, and commercial scales

This settlement is more than a financial recovery. It is a critical statement about law enforcement’s responsibility to understand and respect the law. Hemp is a legal agricultural product, and businesses should not live in fear of arbitrary seizures.

Alex Little, Managing Partner, Litson PLLC

What This Outcome Means

The settlement is a significant victory for Old School Vapor and SAK Wholesale and for the broader hemp industry in Tennessee.

A substantial recovery tied to the seizure sends a clear message: businesses that comply with state and federal hemp regulations have constitutional protections against arbitrary government action.

The case also shows the challenges hemp businesses still face. When law enforcement blurs the line between hemp and marijuana, the costs fall first on lawful businesses, and ultimately on the taxpayers and insurers who fund the settlements.

That is why Litson operates Hemp Law Group, a division that helps hemp businesses stay compliant before enforcement arrives and stands behind them when it does.

The Litson Team

Alex Little served as lead attorney, drawing on his experience in federal civil rights litigation to hold state and local government accountable for the seizure of the businesses’ products.

Case settled March 2025 in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Case No. 2:24-cv-00054.