there's many defenses that you can use.

Number one are going to be procedural grounds.

Congress and our State legislatures

have put into place certain procedures

that the government must follow in order

to properly forfeit property that has been

seized from private citizens.

Now, there is a difference between a seizure

and a forfeiture.

The seizure is related to the actual taking of the property.

But it doesn't go to show whether or not

the government can keep it.

So the forfeiture is a process of which the government proves

that not only did they lawfully seize something,

that they're lawfully entitled to keep that seized property.

That's where we come in.

Congress has put in procedures to make sure

that your rights aren't being violated,

both in the seizure and the forfeiture.

The government must follow specific procedures,

including filings of complaints and notice requirements.

If they fail to do these things, then the person

that they actually seized the property from

has a grounds to get the property back.

An experienced asset forfeiture attorney

will be able to look at the facts

and challenge the procedures in which the authorities have

actually seized and are attempting

to forfeit your property.

In addition to those procedural grounds,

you're going to have various defenses that you can use.

These offenses include the innocent owner defense.

This defense rests upon the premise

that you had no idea that your property was being

used for illegal activities.

Or as a recipient of these funds,

you didn't realize they were coming from illicit sources.

For instance, what if you are a property owner.

You own a house, you rent it out to some people

that you think are trustworthy.

And a few months down the line, a federal agency

comes in and knocks the door down,

and seizes the property because it's being

used to manufacture drugs.

Now you as the owner of this home

had no idea that it'd be used for this specific purpose.

So we can come in and fight the government using

the innocent owner defense, and get this property returned back

to you.

Another way to challenge an asset forfeiture action

is to defeat the underlying criminal charge.

For example, if you're charged with embezzlement,

if we can show in court that you did not

embezzle any of the funds, then the government

has no right to seize any funds or property

that they consider related to that embezzlement charge.

That's why it's so important to hire an attorney who is well

versed in both the criminal and the civil aspect

of these forfeitures.

There's a possibility that you can

defeat underlying criminal charges

but still lose your property under the civil forfeiture

statutes and laws.

Here at the Shouse Law Group, not only

are we criminal defense attorneys,

but we are also experienced asset forfeiture attorneys

that can handle both aspects of the case at the same time.

Call us today for a free consultation,

and we'll see what we can do to not only fight the underlying

charges, but to get your property back.