Fight To Get Your Property Back After An Arrest
It is not uncommon in Louisiana for the police to take your money or car after pulling you over for certain crimes. If you have a lot of money on your person, or the police believe that your car has been used as an instrument in the commission of a crime, they can seize the property. You need a lawyer to help you get it back.
As a Lafayette asset forfeiture attorney, I use experience and skill with this process to seek to stop asset forfeiture, and help you get your money or property back. Contact my Lafayette Parish law firm to schedule a consultation.
Police Property Seizure: How It Happens
The common scenario for asset forfeiture or property seizure looks like this: You are stopped by the police and you have narcotics or money, or both, in the vehicle. The police seize the money or the car, or both. It’s as simple as that.
The Asset Forfeiture Claim Process
Once the police have taken your money and/or automobile:
- Someone needs to claim the asset and verify that it was obtained through legal means, or else it will be seized permanently.
- You have 30 days to file a claim with the District Attorney’s Office and the agency that seized the assets. You must serve both entities within 30 days from notice of forfeiture or your chance to stop the asset forfeiture will be lost.
- Once you have filed the claim, the process looks less like a criminal trial and more like a civil action with the same discovery techniques that occur in civil proceedings.
The American criminal justice system is set up so that the accused has a right to a defense and is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Criminal defense lawyers are the lynchpin of that system, and that is why I am here. I became a lawyer to defend the rights of people like you so that you get a fair shake from the system.
Do You Need Assistance With Property Or Money Forfeiture?
If you or a loved one requires assistance with a money or asset forfeiture issue, call 337-205-0319 today or contact my firm online. I can meet with you evenings and weekends by appointment.
Located near downtown Lafayette, I serve the parishes along I-10 from Jefferson Davis Parish to St. Martin Parish, and the parishes along I-49 from St. Landry Parish to St. Mary Parish.