Opinion ID: 3166703
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: District Court’s Denial of Foster’s Motion

Text: The district court adopted the report of the magistrate judge and denied Foster’s motion. The district court found that although Foster had a possessory interest in the seized items, his laptop, cell phones, and camera had been destroyed and were no longer in the government’s possession. The currency and pistol, meanwhile, “were the subject of forfeiture proceedings by the government under 18 U.S.C. § 981(b), 19 U.S.C. § 1609, and 21 U.S.C. § 881(a) and were forfeited, after notice and publication as required under the applicable statutory authority.” The district court concluded that money damages were not available under the doctrine of sovereign immunity and that, given the circumstances, equitable 5 Case: 15-11829 Date Filed: 12/31/2015 Page: 6 of 12 relief was not warranted. The district court found that the government had complied with the notice and other requirements of forfeiture law and that Foster was given notice of the administrative forfeiture proceedings and advised of his right to make a claim. Thus, Foster “was afforded an adequate remedy at law to contest the forfeitures under the forfeiture law.” As to his destroyed personal property, traditional equitable remedies of injunction and specific performance would not “afford Mr. Foster any relief.” Foster appealed.