The Government seized my money because they thought it was drug money. What can I do to get it back?
The forfeiture laws in Florida allow the police to seize your money if they think there is probable cause to believe that it was derived from illegal activity. They can actually do this without even arresting you. You have a constitutional due process right to a quick hearing whenever your money or property is seized from you. The police must provide you with a Notice of Seizure when they take your money and this notice must advise you that you have the right to a Probable Cause adversarial preliminary hearing within 10 days upon request. In Florida, you only have 15 days to request this hearing so it is important that you consult with an experienced forfeiture attorney as soon as possible. If you win this hearing you can get your attorneys fees back.
For three years, I handled all forfeiture matters for the City of Tampa Police Department and I am routinely referred forfeiture cases, in which the police have seized money, from other attorneys who don’t understand the law. If you have been arrested for a drug crime and the police have also seized your money, I can defend you in your drug case in criminal court and also fight to get your money back from the police.