What it means
Sections 932.701–932.7062 are the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act — the statute that lets law enforcement take crime-connected property through a civil case against the property itself. This section is the Act's dictionary. It defines 'contraband article' in 12 numbered categories: controlled substances and things used in violation of chapter 893, gambling items, untaxed motor fuel, Medicaid-fraud proceeds — and, broadest of all, any personal or real property used as an instrumentality in the commission of any felony.
The procedural definitions set the tempo: to 'promptly proceed' means filing the forfeiture complaint within 45 days after the seizure, a 'claimant' is any party with a proprietary interest and standing, and a 'bona fide lienholder' holds a lien perfected under applicable law.
- Sections 932.701–932.7062 carry the short title 'Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act'.
- 'Contraband article' spans 12 categories, from controlled substances under chapter 893 to Medicaid-fraud proceeds.
- Any personal or real property used as an instrumentality in any felony qualifies — the category that reaches houses, cars, and cash.
- 'Promptly proceed' means the agency files its forfeiture complaint within 45 days after seizure.
- A 'bona fide lienholder' holds a lien perfected under applicable law — a status the Act later protects.
How it plays out
Estates meet this statute when property a decedent owned — or co-owned — is seized in a criminal investigation. The definitions decide everything that follows: whether the item fits one of the 12 contraband categories, whether the estate is a 'claimant' with standing, and whether the agency filed inside the 45-day window the words 'promptly proceed' impose. When a seizure shows up in a probate file, we start here, because the rest of the Act only operates on this section's terms.
Where this shows up
Pages on this site where § 932.701 does real work:
Related sections
Questions people ask
