What is civil or criminal forfeiture?
Forfeiture is a difficult area of the law, giving rise to issues of civil liberties and private property. Most forfeiture is civil, and is based on the notion that the property itself, such as money, or real property such as a house, a gun or a car, was used in violation of the law. Criminal forfeiture is a form of punishment, and is used as part of the penalty for a criminal conviction. In civil forfeiture, it is frequently very difficult to get your property back, even if you had nothing to do with any crime. It is therefore critical to consult with an attorney if your property is seized in a civil forfeiture proceeding.
