Federal Forfeiture Procedure

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Note:  Forfeiture procedures applicable to federal civil forfeiture after the effective date of the Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 ("CAFRA") vary depending on whether the forfeiture statute relied upon falls within the "Customs carve-out" or not. If it does not fall within the Customs carve-out, we refer to it as a "CAFRA case."  To determine which category your forfeiture case falls into, click here.

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Corrected  December 26, 2007

Procedures applicable to forfeiture cases in general:

• 18 U.S.C. § 981,  Civil forfeiture procedure
• 18 U.S.C. § 982,  Criminal forfeiture - This catch-all provision incorporates numerous federal crimes by reference; other forfeiture statutes are scattered throughout US Code.  (See FEAR website law library's Federal Forfeiture Offenses A-G or H-Z for a comprehensive subject matter index to forfeitable offenses under federal law.)  Subsection 982(b)(1) incorporates by reference the criminal forfeiture procedures of 21 U.S.C. § 853 other than § 853(d) into all criminal forfeiture cases.
  
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• 18 U.S.C. § 984,  Civil forfeiture of fungible property
• 18 U.S.C. § 985,  Civil forfeiture of real property
  
• 18 U.S.C. § 986,  Subpoenas for bank records
• 28 U.S.C. § 1355,  Jurisdiction of the U.S. District Courts for Recovery of Fine, Penalty or Forfeiture
• 28 U.S.C. § 1395,  Venue of the U.S. District Courts for Recovery of Fine, Penalty or Forfeiture
• 28 U.S.C. § 1964,  Federal lis pendens statute
  
• 28 U.S.C. § 2001,  Sale of real estate
• 28 U.S.C. § 2002,  Notice of sale of real estate
• 28 U.S.C. § 2004,  Sale of personal property
• 18 U.S.C. § 2232, Criminal penalties for removal of property to prevent seizure & forfeiture
• 18 U.S.C. § 2233, Criminal penalties for rescuing property seized by the government
• 28 U.S.C. § 2461,  Applicability of admiralty procedures to civil forfeitures
• 28 U.S.C. § 2464,  Special bond for release of property
  
• 28 U.S.C. § 2465,  Successful claimant is entitled to attorneys fees, post-judgment interest, and pre-judgment interest on seized money.
  
• 28 U.S.C. § 2466,  Fugitive disentitlement prevents fugitive from justice in criminal proceeding from defending forfeiture case
• 28 U.S.C. § 2467,  Enforcement of foreign forfeiture judgment
  
• 28 U.S.C. § 2680,  Federal Tort Claims Act  permits damages for injuries to property while seized if claimant prevails in forfeiture case
• 18 U.S.C. § 3051, Special powers of ATF agents
• 18 U.S.C. § 3322, Information obtained by grand jury may be disclosed to forfeiture prosecutor and used in civil forfeiture proceeding
  
• 18 U.S.C. § 3554, Order of criminal forfeiture after RICO (18 U.S.C. § 1962) and drug (21 U.S.C. § 853) convictions

Procedures applicable to criminal forfeiture cases in general:

• 18 U.S.C. § 982,  Criminal forfeiture - This catch-all provision incorporates numerous federal crimes by reference; other forfeiture statutes are scattered throughout US Code.  (See FEAR website law library's Federal Forfeiture Offenses A-G or H-Z for a comprehensive subject matter index to forfeitable offenses under federal law.)  Subsection 982(b)(1) incorporates by reference the criminal forfeiture procedures of 21 U.S.C. § 853 other than § 853(d) into all criminal forfeiture cases
• 21 U.S.C. § 853- Criminal forfeiture procedure governing all criminal forfeitures for violation of federal drug laws (all offenses codified in title 21 U.S.Code).  This provision is also incorporated by reference into all other federal criminal forfeiture statutes through 18 U.S.C. § 982(b)(1)).
• Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rule 1 -  Definitions; criminal rules inapplicable to civil forfeiture proceedings [Rule 1(A)(5)(b)].
  
• Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rule 11 - Guilty pleas
• Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rule 32.2 - Criminal forfeiture rules
• Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rule 41(g) - Motion for return of property; this is also a remedy generally for people whose property is seized by federal agents but no forfeiture case is filed.
  

Procedures applicable to civil forfeiture cases in general:

• 18 U.S.C. § 981,  Civil forfeiture procedure
• 18 U.S.C. § 984,  Civil forfeiture of fungible property
• 18 U.S.C. § 985,  Civil forfeiture of real property
• Supplemental Rule (for Admiralty) Rule C(2),  In rem forfeiture actions - special  requirement that complaint be verified and that it describe property with reasonable particularity
  
• Supplemental Rule (for Admiralty) Rule E(2)(a),  In rem actions - special requirement that complaint state circumstances with particularity
• Supplemental Rule (for Admiralty) Rule G, Forfeiture actions in rem - rules applicable to civil forfeiture under federal statutes
  

Civil forfeiture procedures applicable only to CAFRA cases:  (For difference between "CAFRA cases" and "customs carve-out cases" see 18 U.S.C. § 983(i).)

• 18 U.S.C. § 983,  General rules for civil forfeiture proceedings 

Civil forfeiture procedures applicable to customs carve out cases (these statutes still apply to CAFRA cases unless inconsistent with the provisions of § 983)

• 19 U.S.C. § 1602, Customs procedure - seizure, report to customs officer
  
• 19 U.S.C. § 1603, Customs procedure - seizure; warrants and reports
• 19 U.S.C. § 1604, Customs procedure - seizure; prosecution
• 19 U.S.C. § 1605, Customs procedure - seizure, custody, storage
• 19 U.S.C. § 1606, Customs procedure - seizure; appraisement
• 19 U.S.C. § 1607, Seizure, value $500,000 or less
• 19 U.S.C. § 1608, Seizure; claims; judicial condemnation
• 19 U.S.C. § 1609, Seizure, summary forfeiture and sale
• 19 U.S.C. § 1610, Seizure; judicial forfeiture proceedings
• 19 U.S.C. § 1611, Seizure; sale unlawful
• 19 U.S.C. § 1612, Seizure; summary sale
• 19 U.S.C. § 1614, Release of seized property
• 19 U.S.C. § 1615, Burden of proof in customs carve-out cases
• 19 U.S.C. § 1616a, Transfer of property for state law forfeiture
• 19 U.S.C. § 1617, Compromise of claims
• 19 U.S.C. § 1618,  Remission and mitigation
• 19 U.S.C. § 1621, Statute of limitations
  

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