Asset Forfeiture Defense

Our Asset Forfeiture Lawyers Defend Your Property

With increasing regularity, the government is seizing assets — even when no charges are brought — and putting the burden on you to get your money or property back. Deadlines are short and firm, and the procedures are often confusing and complex. Acting quickly to find legal representation, make the appropriate filings, and develop a defense strategy is critical to mounting an effective defense and to protecting your hard-earned assets.

In the Complex Area of Asset Forfeiture Law, Experience is Key

Without a deep knowledge of the many federal and North Carolina statutes and administrative regulations controlling asset forfeiture actions, it is difficult for lawyers to get up to speed in time to develop an effective asset forfeiture defense strategy. Our asset forfeiture lawyers have developed the necessary experience handling civil and criminal forfeiture cases, from filing motions to return seized assets and petitions and motions contesting the forfeiture of property in numerous contexts.

And our lawyers at Cheshire Parker Schneider are widely recognized in the asset forfeiture defense area and have been highly successful in litigating asset forfeiture matters. For example, Elliot Sol Abrams convinced the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals to overrule a longstanding rule under which the government could seize defendant’s innocent property (that is, unquestionably legitimately earned assets) before conviction. Our asset forfeiture lawyers also won the release of over $2 million in assets seized by the government in a federal asset forfeiture matter and the return of over $1 million in assets in another matter.

Feds Seize More through Asset Forfeiture than Burglars Take

Why are we so passionate about this area of the law? In 2014, the federal government took more property from American citizens through asset forfeiture than burglars did. According to The Washington Post, the federal government deposited more than $5 billion into their asset forfeiture funds, whereas burglary losses were only $3.5 billion.

The following is a graph published in the Washington Post showing the tremendous growth of seizures through asset forfeiture over a 10 year period — from less than $1 billion seized in 2004, up to over $5 billion in 2014.

This tremendous growth in a particular area of criminal law is somewhat rare. And because asset forfeiture was largely an afterthought in criminal defense cases, few criminal defense lawyers have developed extensive experience handling these complex cases.

Speak With an Asset Forfeiture Lawyer at Cheshire Parker Schneider

If the government has taken your property, or threatened to do so, contact one of our asset forfeiture defense lawyers today.

Note that the specific case referenced above does not represent all of the cases Cheshire Parker Schneider has handled, and past results do not guarantee similar outcomes in future cases. Every case is unique.