Current through Public Act 156 of the 2024 Legislative Session
Section 445.79c - Forfeited property; powers of local government or state; appointment and authority of receiver; payment of expenses(1) When property is forfeited under this act, the local unit of government that seized the property may do any of the following or, if the property is seized by or in the custody of the state, the state may do any of the following: (a) Retain it for official use.(b) Sell that which is not required to be destroyed by law and which is not harmful to the public. The proceeds and any money, negotiable instruments, securities, or any other thing of value as described in section 19(d) that are forfeited under this act shall be deposited with the treasurer of the entity having budgetary authority over the seizing agency and applied as follows: (i) For the payment of proper expenses of the proceedings for forfeiture and sale, including expenses incurred during the seizure process, maintenance of custody, advertising, and court costs, except as otherwise provided in subsection (3).(ii) The balance remaining after the payment of expenses shall be distributed by the court having jurisdiction over the forfeiture proceedings to the treasurer of the entity having budgetary authority over the seizing agency. If more than 1 agency was substantially involved in effecting the forfeiture, the court having jurisdiction over the forfeiture proceeding shall equitably distribute the money among the treasurers of the entities having budgetary authority over the seizing agencies. The money received by a seizing agency under this subparagraph and all interest and other earnings on money received by the seizing agency under this subparagraph shall be used to enhance law enforcement efforts as appropriated by the entity having budgetary authority over the seizing agency. A distribution made under this subparagraph shall serve as a supplement to, and not a replacement for, the funds budgeted on the date that the amendatory act that added this section takes effect for law enforcement efforts pertaining to this act.(c) Take custody of the property and remove it for disposition in accordance with law.(2) In the course of selling real property under subsection (1)(b), the court that has entered an order of forfeiture may, on motion of the agency to whom the property has been forfeited, appoint a receiver to dispose of the real property forfeited. The receiver shall be entitled to reasonable compensation. The receiver shall have authority to do all of the following:(a) List the forfeited real property for sale.(b) Make whatever arrangements are necessary for the maintenance and preservation of the forfeited real property.(c) Accept offers to purchase the forfeited real property.(d) Execute instruments transferring title to the forfeited real property.(3) If a court enters an order of forfeiture, the court may order a person who claimed an interest in the forfeited property under section 19b(1)(c) to pay the expenses of the proceedings of forfeiture to the entity having budgetary authority over the seizing agency.Added by 2010, Act 314,s 3, eff. 4/1/2011.