2023 Delaware Code › Title 11 - Crimes and Criminal Procedure › Chapter 23. SEARCH AND SEIZURE › Subchapter I. General Provisions › § 2311. Disposition of property validly seized.

§ 2311. Disposition of property validly seized.
(a) The following disposition shall be made of any papers, articles or things validly seized:
(1) If the papers, articles or things were obtained as the result of the commission of a crime, they shall be returned to their lawful owners;
(2) If the papers, articles or things were property which represents or is traceable to the fruits of a crime or which represents or is traceable to the proceeds obtained, directly or indirectly, as a result of the commission of a crime and the person from whom they are seized is duly convicted of the alleged crime, the court may order that the property be disposed of or dispersed in a manner consistent with § 4106 of this title or otherwise disposed of as the court directs;
(3) If the papers, articles or things were allegedly used in the commission of a crime, they shall be returned to the person from whom seized if such person is not thereafter duly convicted of the alleged crime; but if such person is duly convicted of the alleged crime, the papers, articles and things shall be disposed of as the court directs;
(4) If possession of the papers, articles or things seized is unlawful, they shall, upon petition, be disposed of as any Judge of the Superior Court directs.
(b) Any papers, articles or things validly seized may be retained by the police for a reasonable length of time for the purpose of apprehending the offender or using the papers, articles or things so seized as evidence in any criminal trial, or both.
(c) A deadly weapon or ammunition which was validly seized from a person who is prohibited from purchasing, owning, possessing or controlling a deadly weapon as a result of a felony conviction under Delaware law, federal law or the law of any other state, or who is otherwise prohibited under § 1448 of this title may be disposed of by the law-enforcement agency holding the weapon or ammunition, after the exhaustion of any right of direct appeal, and after proper notice of the intent to dispose of such deadly weapon or ammunition 6 months from the date of the notice, unless such deadly weapon or ammunition has been claimed by the owner or a third party. If the deadly weapon or ammunition shall remain unclaimed after 6 months from the date of notice, then no party shall thereafter have the right to assert ownership thereof, and the law-enforcement agency may dispose of such deadly weapon or ammunition following the expiration of the period set forth in subsection (d) of this section. For purposes of this section, “disposition” may include the sale or transfer of the firearms to a federal licensed dealer, defined as a person licensed as a firearms collector, dealer, importer, or manufacturer under the provisions of 18 U.S.C. § 922 et seq., or destruction of the firearms and ammunition.
(1) Any person requesting the return of any deadly weapon or ammunition hereunder shall have the burden to prove that he or she is the owner thereof and is not otherwise prohibited from purchasing, owning, possessing or controlling a deadly weapon or ammunition.
(2) Any third party requesting the return of any deadly weapon or ammunition hereunder shall also have the burden to prove ownership by devise, gift, sale or other legally-recognized process for conveying ownership.
(d) Any law-enforcement agency denying an owner or a third party the possession of any deadly weapon or ammunition pursuant to this section shall not dispose of such deadly weapon or ammunition until the expiration of 60 calendar days from the date of denial.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this section to the contrary, any law-enforcement agency holding a deadly weapon or ammunition validly seized from a person who is subject to a Family Court protection from abuse order pursuant to § 1448(a)(6) of this title may dispose of such deadly weapon or ammunition after the expiration or termination of such order and after proper notice is provided to the owner in accordance with subsections (c) and (d) of this section.
(f) For purposes of this section:
(1) “Last-known address” shall mean the last known address of the owner of any deadly weapon or ammunition hereunder as determined through the Delaware Criminal Justice Information System (DELJIS), the Family Court of the State or the address noted on the owner's most recent driver's license, vehicle registration or Division of Motor Vehicle identification card. In accordance with this section, the Family Court is authorized to provide to law-enforcement the most recent address of an owner who was, or is, a party to any Family Court proceeding.
(2) “Proper notice” shall mean notice of a law-enforcement agency's intention to dispose of a deadly weapon or ammunition in accordance with this section by written notice, via certified letter, return receipt requested, to the owner's last known address and by publication in a local or statewide newspaper at least once a week for 2 consecutive weeks. Such notice shall state that the local law-enforcement agency may not dispose of said deadly weapon or ammunition until the expiration of the notice period set forth in this section.
(3) “Third party” shall mean any person requesting the return of any deadly weapon or ammunition hereunder who is not the party to whom notice was sent in accordance with subsection (c) of this section.
(g) If a law-enforcement agency denies any request for the return of a deadly weapon or ammunition hereunder, the person or third party so denied shall have the right to file a petition in any court of competent jurisdiction for the return of the deadly weapon or ammunition, in addition to any other rights such person may have. A law-enforcement agency shall not dispose of a deadly weapon or ammunition subject to such a petition until a final adjudication and the expiration of any appeal period. The petition filed pursuant to this subsection shall include the following:
(1) A complete description of the property including all identification and registration numbers if applicable;
(2) The name and last known address of the owner or owners of the property;
(3) The names and addresses of any persons who claim to or have an interest or lien in the subject property;
(4) A statement of the value of the subject property; and
(5) A statement by the petitioner that he or she requested the return of a deadly weapon or ammunition from a law-enforcement agency, and that such request was denied.
(h) Upon receipt of a petition which is made pursuant to subsection (g) of this section, the court shall send a notice and a copy of the petition to the law-enforcement agency holding the deadly weapon or ammunition and to all other owners and/or lienholders of said property identified in the petition. Such notice shall include:
(1) A statement that a petition has been made with the court;
(2) A statement that the owner or other person has a legal right to a hearing in the courts and that if a hearing is desired then the owner or other person shall file with the court an answer to the petition;
(3) A statement that if an answer is filed a hearing will be promptly scheduled and the owners or other interested persons may appear to contest the claim;
(4) A statement that the court will enter a judgment in favor of the petitioner unless an answer is filed within 20 days after the date on which the notice was mailed;
(5) A statement that the person may be liable for costs if a judgment is entered in favor of the petitioner.
(i) If the court receives an answer described in paragraph (h)(3) of this section, the court shall notify the petitioner and all parties of the hearing date to determine ownership of the deadly weapon or ammunition. If no answer is filed pursuant to paragraph (h)(3) of this section, then the court shall issue an order declaring that the petitioner has full right, title and interest to the said deadly weapon or ammunition.
Code 1935, §§  5343-GG;  48 Del. Laws, c. 303;  11 Del. C. 1953, §  2311;  70 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  1;  75 Del. Laws, c. 106, §  2;  76 Del. Laws, c. 99, §  2;  78 Del. Laws, c. 135, §§  1-5, 10;