Asset forfeiture laws

Asset forfeiture laws allow law enforcement to seize property believed to be connected to criminal activities. This means that if authorities suspect your property, like cash, vehicles, or real estate, is tied to a crime, they can take it without necessarily charging you with a crime. There are two types: criminal forfeiture, tied to a conviction, and civil forfeiture, where the property itself is seen as guilty. While designed to deter crime and disrupt criminal enterprises, critics argue these laws can lead to abuse and the seizure of innocent individuals’ assets without proper due process.