THE FEAR ASSET FORFEITURE DEFENSE MANUAL

Asset forfeiture (or confiscation) has existed for as long as humanity have been afflicted with rapacious, parasitic governments: since time immemorial.

Asset confiscation was used to great effect by Nazi Germany, Communist China and the Soviet Union, and Pol Pot's Cambodia. But the rights of citizens of so-called "free" nations (such as the UK, USA and Australia) are fully protected by the Magna Carta and constitutions - aren't they?

Guess again. The UK Parliament has just passed asset forfeiture legislation, and the Liberal, National and Labor parties are trying to do the same in Australia.(See The Proceeds of Crime Bill 2001 at www.aph.gov.au) And asset forfeiture has been quietly gutting USA citizens - ignored by the mainstream American media, hardly noticed by the mass of Americans - for more than twenty years.

How, you might ask? Brenda Grantland, Susan Raffanti (lawyers) and Judy Osburn (self-described "author and forfeiture survivor") tell you how - and, more important, what to do to protect yourself and your family - in this magisterial 500-page A4-size book.

Asset forfeiture (or confiscation) simply means empowering government agents to confiscate any or all of the assets of an individual or company (such as home, car, cash, bank account, equipment, stock in trade, everything) upon ACCUSATION of having committed a crime. production of evidence, trial and conviction are NOT necessary.(Indeed, in the USA, an estimated 80%of forfeiture victims are never even charged with a crime. They're simply left in the street, with nothing to show for a lifetime of hard work.)

Chapters of this monumental book address:

- Current forfeiture litigation

- Basic principles of forfeiture

- Statutory grounds for forfeiture

- Basic forfeiture theories and concepts

- Innocent owner defense

-"Standing" to defend a forfeiture case, and "ownership" issues

- Other defenses

- Suppression of evidence

- Seizure and restraint of assets

- Notice of administrative forfeiture

- Administrative claim and cost bond, summary forfeiture

- Remission, mitigation and other administrative remedies

- And there's even a guide for pro se (do it yourself) litigants!

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This is a magnificent piece of work, and belongs in the home of every USA citizen and in the office of every USA lawyer. Unfortunately, it is pricey (particularly when computed in debased $A)and not directly relevant to Australian law.

However, asset forfeiture law is already in place in NSW, Vic and WA and, as mentioned above, John Howard et al are doing their best to push it through Federal Parliament .THE FEAR ASSETFORFEITURE DEFENSE MANUAL can tell you exactly what kind of victimization to expect if they succeed.

For details: contact webmaster@fear.org