by Elena Broder, Esq., from the law firm of Jenner & Block, Washington D.C.
(c) 1998

Part I

I. Civil forfeiture under the drug laws: 21 U.S.C. § 881

II. Procedural overview of the seizure and forfeiture of items covered by § 881(a)

        A. Seizure-- § 881(b)

        B. Forfeiture Procedures

            1. Administrative forfeiture

            2. Forfeiture by judicial condemnation

III. Possible constitutional challenges to civil forfeiture under the drug laws

        A. Section 881(b) and the Fourth Amendment

1. Does the Fourth Amendment require a judicial determination of probable cause prior to the issuance of an in rem arrest warrant under the Admiralty Rules?

2. Does the Fourth Amendment require that the Attorney General obtain a warrant to seize property when she has probable cause to believe that the property is subject to forfeiture but there are no exigent circumstances or other exceptions to the warrant requirement such as have been recognized in the ordinary criminal context?
 
B. Administrative forfeiture procedures

                   2. Hearing

                   3. Cost bond

            C.  Judicial condemnation

                   1. Is the burden of proof established by 19 U.S.C. § 1615 unconstitutional?

                   2. Must the government use admissible evidence to make out its showing of probable cause?

Part II

IV. Possible statutory interpretation challenges under federal forfeiture law

            A. The innocent owner defense

                   1. Analysis

                           a.  Knowledge

                           b. "Willful blindness"

                           c. "Consent"

                           d. Conjunctive or disjunctive requirements

                   2. Evaluation

            B. Property-conduct nexus

                   1. Statutory language

                   2. Case law and legislative history

                   3. Extrastatutory limitations

                           a. History

                           b. Constitutional limitations

                    4. Evaluation

V.  Conclusion