Opinion ID: 737508
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Forfeiture Procedures Generally

Text: 9 The DEA forfeited the seized items on the ground that they were used or acquired as a result of a drug-related offense. See 21 U.S.C. § 881(a)(4) (1994) (allowing forfeiture of vehicles) and 21 U.S.C. § 881(a)(6) (1994) (allowing forfeiture of currency). Section 881 incorporates the forfeiture procedures provided in the Tariff Act of 1930, United States v. Woodall, 12 F.3d 791, 792 (8th Cir.1993) (citing 21 U.S.C. § 881(d)), which require the government to publish a notice of seizure and of its intent to forfeit seized property once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the judicial district in which the forfeiture proceedings is brought. 19 U.S.C. § 1607(a) (1994); 21 C.F.R. § 1316.75(a) (1996). In addition, the government must provide [w]ritten notice of seizure together with information on the applicable procedures ... to each party who appears to have an interest in the seized article. 19 U.S.C. § 1607(a) (1994). Finally, the Constitution requires notice reasonably calculated, under all the circumstances, to apprise interested parties of the pendency of the action and afford them an opportunity to present their objections. United States v. 51 Pieces of Real Property, Roswell, N.M., 17 F.3d 1306, 1316 (10th Cir.1994) (quoting Mullane, 339 U.S. at 314, 70 S.Ct. at 657). After adequate notice is given, and if no party files a claim asserting an interest in the property within twenty days of publication, the DEA must declare the property forfeited. United States v. Clark, 84 F.3d 378, 380 (10th Cir.1996) (citing 19 U.S.C. § 1609 (1994); 21 C.F.R. § 1316.77(b)). 10 Although Rodgers admits that he failed to file a claim asserting an interest in the seized property, Rodgers alleges that the DEA's attempts to provide him with notice of its intent to forfeit failed to satisfy statutory and due process requirements; and, accordingly, the DEA administrative forfeiture should be vacated. See Aero-Medical, Inc. v. United States, 23 F.3d 328, 331 (10th Cir.1994). 11 We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1331 to review whether DEA's administrative forfeiture satisfied statutory and due process requirements. Clark, 84 F.3d at 381. 4 Moreover, Rodgers' status as a criminal fugitive during DEA's forfeiture proceedings does not disentitle him from the right to pursue civil relief in this court. See Degen v. United States, 517 U.S. 820, ---- - ----, 116 S.Ct. 1777, 1780-83, 135 L.Ed.2d 102 (1996) (holding that a court in a civil forfeiture suit is not allowed to enter judgment against a claimant merely because he is a fugitive from a related criminal prosecution). 5 12 We review the district court's determination that the government employed means reasonably calculated to provide the claimant with actual notice for clear error. Clark, 84 F.3d at 381 (citing 51 Pieces of Real Property, 17 F.3d at 1316.). 13