Court Opinion

ID: 9467784
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 01:56:50.959118+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:40:31.836874
License: Public Domain

ALARCON, Circuit Judge,
dissenting:
I respectfully dissent.
My colleagues have overruled Ivers v. United States, 581 F.2d 1362 (9th Cir. 1978), sub silentio without a decent or public burial.
Until today the law of this circuit has been that prejudice is a necessary element of a procedural due process claim based on delay. Just two years ago, this court stated, in summarizing its reasons for affirming a judgment forfeiting currency seized by the government,
[fjirst is the apparent absence of any prejudice to Ivers flowing from the challenged delay. He has not shown any respect in which his defense to forfeiture was impaired by the passage of time. Moreover, the currency seized was not a wasting asset; any value lost by its retention could have been restored by the addition of interest had Ivers prevailed in the forfeiture action. Secondly, Ivers was not barred from initiating judicial action himself, if he so chose. While the duty to institute forfeiture proceedings rests with the Government and may not be shifted to the claimant, his choice not to commence proceedings for restitution of his property provides a further indici-um of his “wait-and-see” attitude. Lastly, this court is reluctant to impose a strict obligation on the Government to seek judicial relief immediately, with the increase of litigation and burdens on litigants that would entail, where, as here, the circumstances are equivocal. A more compelling case of prejudicial delay than what has been shown here would have to be demonstrated before we would be willing to deprive the Government of a forfeiture to which it otherwise has a legitimate entitlement. Id. at 1373 (emphasis added).
Three years ago, this court at least implicitly recognized that a showing of prejudice is essential to a claim of violation of procedural due process in the following comment: “Because of the fast depreciating nature of an automobile, the Government’s claim that no prejudice to the claimant resulted from the untimeliness of the Government’s action is clearly without merit.” United States v. One 1970 Ford Pickup Serial No. F10YRG53615, 564 F.2d 864, 866 (9th Cir. 1977).
Appellant presented no evidence that the delay bringing the forfeiture proceedings to trial in any way interfered with the presentation of her defense in the forfeiture proceedings. Instead we are told in her brief that, “[fjinally, there can be no question that appellant was prejudiced by the government’s delay.” Appellant proceeds forthrightly to ask that we disapprove of that portion of Ivers which holds that currency is not a wasting asset. 581 F.2d at 1373.
The majority states, without citation to any authority, “[bjefore prejudice to the claimant becomes relevant, the government must first show legitimate entitlement and the absence of unreasonable delay.” The majority does not explain further its use of the term “legitimate entitlement.” However, the reference to legitimate entitlement follows the following quotation from Ivers: “A more compelling case of prejudicial delay than what has been shown here would have to be demonstrated before we would be willing to deprive the Government of a forfeiture to which it otherwise has a legitimate entitlement.” 581 F.2d at 1373. Put more succinctly, the quoted language simply says that this court will not reverse a judgment of forfeiture based on substantial evidence unless the appellant demonstrates from the record on appeal that the facts show “a compelling case of prejudicial delay.”
*841I respectfully submit that the majority has mistakenly construed Ivers as holding that proof of prejudice is not required if the government cannot justify its delay. Neither Ivers nor does any other case cited in the opinion of the court so hold.
The law concerning proof of a violation of procedural due process in bringing a matter to trial, most recently recognized in this circuit in Ivers, can be summarized as follows:
The person whose property has been seized has the burden of proving:
1. Unreasonable or excessive delay which was not caused by his own conduct or defensive trial tactics.
2. Prejudice resulting from the delay. See Powell v. United States, 352 F.2d 705, 707-08 (D.C.Cir.1965). If facts demonstrating both unreasonable delay and prejudice are not proved, the trial court should not inquire into the reason for the delay. See United States v. Feinberg, 383 F.2d 60 (2nd Cir. 1967), cert. denied, 389 U.S. 1044, 88 S.Ct. 788, 19 L.Ed.2d 836 (1968). In Feinberg, the court stated “It would be unwise to impose upon the judiciary the inquisitorial function of scrutinizing the internal operations of law enforcement agencies when no possible prejudice to the accused has been shown.” Id. at 67. If facts establishing unreasonable delay and prejudice are presented the burden of proof shifts to the government to offer evidence that the delay was for a valid purpose. United States v. Deloney, 389 F.2d 324, 325 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, 391 U.S. 904, 88 S.Ct. 1652, 20 L.Ed.2d 417 (1968). If the government cannot justify the delay, the aggrieved person prevails. If the government convinces the trial judge that the delay was excusable, the trial court must balance the interest of the government against the prejudice which will be suffered by the person whose prop-érty was taken. See United States v. Marion, 404 U.S. 307,-324-25, 92 S.Ct. 455, 465-66, 30 L.Ed.2d 468 (1971).
Applying these standards for assessing alleged violation of procedural due process to the matter before us, it is clear that it is our duty to affirm the judgment of the district court. Appellant failed to establish that she was prejudiced in the presentation of her own defense.1
The majority, having concluded that prejudice is not an element of due process claim, (ante at 838) proceeds to argue that “[a] prompt hearing is constitutionally guaranteed to the owner of currency, as it is to the owner of a wasting asset.” (Ante at 840). No citation is given for this novel proposition. It is in fact directly contrary to the law of this circuit as most recently expressed in Ivers v. United States, 581 F.2d at 1373, where this court said, as noted above, “[mjoreover, the currency seized was not a wasting asset; any value lost by its retention could have been restored by the addition of interest had Ivers prevailed in the forfeiture action.” In the matter, sub judice, had appellant prevailed the court could have awarded interest lost by the retention of the seized currency. The fact is that the money was properly seized from appellant. She suffered no prejudice from the delay to her defense in instituting forfeiture proceedings. The government legitimately was entitled to a judgment of forfeiture. Therefore, appellant was not entitled to the use of the seized currency pending trial of the forfeiture proceedings.
I would AFFIRM the judgment.

. I recognize, that except for Ivers, the cases I have cited in connection with the burden of proof imposed on a person who claims that a violation of procedural due process has occurred due to governmental delay deal with loss of personal liberty. However, as noted in United States v. Eight (8) Rhodesian Stone ’ Statues, 449 F.Supp. 193, 205 (C.D.Cal.1978): “The Supreme Court has said that a violation of property rights may give rise to a due process claim within the same general parameters as a violation of personal rights. Lynch v. Household Finance Corp., 405 U.S. 538, 552, 92 S.Ct. 1113 [1122], 31 L.Ed.2d 424 (1972).” It would be unthinkable to hold, as implied by the majority, that property rights must be given greater protection than personal rights.