Opinion ID: 1891811
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: the forfeiture act

Text: Forfeiture proceedings in Florida are a two-stage process. The first stage is an adversarial preliminary hearing in which the seizing agency is required to establish probable cause that the property subject to forfeiture was used in violation of the Forfeiture Act. § 932.701(2)(f), Fla. Stat. The Forfeiture Act provides that when personal property is seized, any person entitled to notice should receive notice of the right to a preliminary hearing within five days after the seizure and may make a request within fifteen days after receiving notice that the hearing be held. § 932.703(2)(a), Fla. Stat. The Act defines person entitled to notice as any owner, entity, bona fide lienholder, or person in possession of the property subject to forfeiture when seized, who is known to the seizing agency after a diligent search and inquiry. § 932.701(2)(e), Fla. Stat. The second stage is a forfeiture proceeding in which the court or jury determines whether the subject property shall be forfeited. § 932.701(2)(g), Fla. Stat. At the forfeiture proceeding, the court shall order the seized property forfeited to the seizing agency [u]pon clear and convincing evidence that the contraband article was being used in violation of the Forfeiture Act. § 932.704(8), Fla. Stat. (2002). The person contesting the forfeiture in the second stage is identified in section 932.704 as a claimant. The class of persons who are claimants is narrower than those entitled to notice of the adversarial preliminary hearing. A claimant is defined in section 932.701(2)(h) as any party who has proprietary interest in property subject to forfeiture and has standing to challenge such forfeiture, including owners, registered owners, bona fide lienholders, and titleholders.