Miami, Florida Asset Forfeiture Attorney

Dedicated Lawyer Helping You Protect Your Property From Seizure by Law Enforcement in Miami

Has law enforcement or the court system threatened to seize your property? If so, you need to understand that in certain instances, Florida law allows the seizure of various properties. This practice is known in legal terms as "forfeiture."

Some of the most common types of forfeitures in Florida involve vehicles, but money and other personal property are also common targets. While legal, the practice of seizure under forfeiture law is sometimes abused and misused by law enforcement and the justice system. That is why it is important to seek the services of an attorney if you are facing a situation involving forfeiture.

Miami asset forfeiture defense lawyer Evan Hoffman has represented many clients who have been at risk of having their property seized. The Hoffman Firm can help devise a plan to fight the system and see that your property and rights are protected. If you have received a notice of seizure, you only have a matter of days to protect your property.

Call us at 305-249-0090 or fill out our contact form to schedule a consultation with an experienced criminal defense attorney.

What Actions Lead to Forfeiture?

The main reason for having property seized under forfeiture law is when law enforcement believes that the property was obtained illegally or was purchased with funds that had been obtained illegally.

A few examples of property that could be seized include:

• Money or other property (real estate, vehicles, boats, jewelry, etc.) that was obtained as part of a drug trafficking scheme or through fraud or other alleged crimes
• Vehicles, homes, land, or other types of property that were used to commit drug crimes or different forms of fraud
• RICO violations and cases involving racketeering
• Money or property used for money laundering

Defenses to Forfeiture

For a seizure to be carried out, law enforcement must prove that the property was indeed obtained through illegal means. In some forfeiture cases, law enforcement may utilize questionable approaches, such as seizing vehicles during a drug arrest.

In these situations, a skilled defense attorney can work toward having your property returned due to law enforcement's possibly ineffective reasoning for seizure.

Some defenses that may be used in forfeiture cases include the following:

• The person who owned the property was unaware that it had been obtained illegally or used in an alleged crime
• Law enforcement used an inappropriate response to an alleged crime when they seized property
• The seizing officer acted without probable cause

Contact Our Miami, FL Asset Forfeiture Defense Lawyer

If you are facing the prospect of having your property seized, you need to act quickly, because you only have 15 days in state actions or 10 days in federal actions after you have been notified of a forfeiture to request a hearing that will allow you to contest the forfeiture and preserve your rights.

Our Miami forfeiture defense lawyer can walk you through this process and make sure that nothing is missed that might be advantageous in your situation. The Hoffman Firm is standing by and ready to schedule a free consultation for you. Contact us or give us a call at 305-249-0090 today.