Sheriff Seized Property

Updated October 16, 2020 Asset forfeiture is when the government takes a person's property because it suspects the property was used in committing a crime or was obtained by way of criminal activity. California's asset forfeiture laws can be used to seize most types of property, including: houses, boats, cars, and

At both the federal and state levels, the government can seize property. The Federal Government can seize property under 18 U.S.C. § 983.

United States. There are two types of forfeiture (confiscation) cases, criminal and civil.

The Government's Power of Eminent Domain Eminent domain is the power of the government to take private land for public use. This power is limited by the federal Constitution and by state Constitutions.The government provides the landowner a fair price, and the landowner yields the property to public use.

Under California law, state asset forfeiture money must be distributed to multiple parties. Most of it 65 percent goes to the local or state law enforcement agencies that seized the funds, depending on their contribution to the seizure.

If the federal government has seized your assets, it is possible the property will later be returned to you. The most common way to recover seized assets is to prevail in your criminal trial. If you are not convicted of a crime, the government may not move forward with forfeiture proceedings.

All across the country, forfeited funds and property are being used to help protect and serve our communities and support law enforcement. For example, in Kentucky, forfeited funds were used to refurbish a facility to shelter child abuse victims in the state.

The Attorney General is authorized to use the Assets Forfeiture Fund to pay any necessary expenses associated with forfeiture operations such as property seizure, detention, management, forfeiture, and disposal. The Fund may also be used to finance certain general investigative expenses.