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For years, it has been a law enforcement technique: Assets that were allegedly bought with the proceeds from illegal activity or used in that activity are seized by the United States government.

Recently, the IRS has invested heavily in seeking out assets to be forfeited to the government. They have established asset forfeiture task forces in major cities. These task forces combine the efforts of international, federal and local authorities to pinpoint and seize assets with alleged connections to crime.

More and more, people find that their homes, investment holdings, cash, yachts, automobiles, computers, planes and other possessions are wrongfully taken by the government. Many of the victims are innocent people who became wrongly involved in an investigation. They are professionals, such as tax preparers or other financial professionals, who simply make mistakes. They never set out to be criminals, but they find themselves entwined in a criminal investigation.

U.S. Civil Forfeiture Attorney

At Brown, PC, we fight to protect our clients’ rights and interests. More than just preparing a strong criminal defense to the charges at hand, we also effectively handle related asset forfeiture matters.

Forfeiture may proceed under several different processes:

  • Administrative forfeiture: Administrative forfeiture permits the federal government to forfeit property without judicial involvement.
  • Civil forfeiture: Also called civil judicial forfeiture, civil forfeiture is an action brought against the property. No criminal charge is listed against the individual and the property is listed as the defendant.
  • Criminal forfeiture: Criminal forfeiture is an action brought as part of the criminal prosecution.

Regardless of how your involvement with asset forfeiture began, the attorneys and staff at Brown, PC, are well-equipped to help you take effective action. There are a number of ways we may be able to retrieve your property. If you did not have knowledge that the property was being used illegally, or if there was no crime committed, you may be entitled to have your property returned. It may also be possible to negotiate a resolution with federal prosecutors.

Seek the Assistance of a Lawyer Who Focuses on Asset Forfeiture

For many years, asset forfeiture was secondary to the criminal investigation at hand. Because of this, many criminal defense attorneys took it on as a small part of handling a larger criminal case.

Times have changed.

Now more than ever, government entities reap the benefits of asset forfeiture. Because of this, they focus on asset forfeiture first and then on the related criminal charges. The money, resources and time they invest in seizing property have also increased substantially.

It is critical that you have an equally well-prepared professional on your side — an experienced lawyer who devotes substantial portions of his practice on asset forfeiture. At Brown, PC, this is what we do. We have extensive experience with the seizure of assets. We know the actions necessary to effectively protect our clients’ interests and reclaim seized property.

Contact Us

To discuss your situation, contact us at 888-870-0025 to schedule a confidential consultation. Our offices are conveniently located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas and in Washington, D.C.