Vehicle Forfeiture

Does The Law Have A Right To Your Car?

Few feelings are as frustrating as watching the police tow your car without you ever having been convicted of a crime, or even arrested. Unfortunately, asset forfeiture laws in the United States, including those in Texas, allow the government to do just that and seize your vehicle.

Why? Just because they suspect it may have been used in a crime, or purchased with funds acquired through fraud or other criminal activity. Worst of all, it can happen even when the alleged crime was committed by someone else, such as a spouse, child, or friend you foolishly loaned the car to.

Life in Texas, or most anywhere in the country, is not easy without a car, so it is important to act fast and stand up for your rights and your vehicle. Working out of Dallas, attorney Arnold Spencer is the lawyer you need to call right away to throw a wrench in the gears of the government and fight for your car.

Arnold Spencer Is The Forfeiture Lawyer You Need

Taking on the government is not an easy job, especially when your vehicle could have been seized under a dozen different laws and statutes (more on this soon). Even lawyers who focus on criminal defense are unlikely to be equipped with the knowledge or experience to help you get your car or truck back.

Here at Spencer & Associates, we focus on just such cases, and have the results to prove it. Having helped recover everything from vehicles seized in drug crimes to cryptocurrency assets held on suspicion of white collar crimes, attorney Arnold Spencer is the man you need when your property has been seized.

As a former Federal Prosecutor with substantial experience in all manner of criminal offenses (and defenses), he can help you stand up to stubborn or greedy law enforcement officers to get your vehicle back.

When Can The Law Take Your Car?

Vehicle seizure is only supposed to occur under specific legal circumstances in Texas, although a large number of potential laws, statutes, and law enforcement agencies can be involved depending on the circumstances.

• Criminal Vehicle Forfeiture can occur when the police are charging you with a crime, and taking the car either as evidence, if they believe it was used in a crime, or if they believe it was obtained with the proceeds of the crime. These crimes can include drug and trafficking cases, but also white collar crimes such as tax evasion or securities fraud.
• Civil Vehicle Forfeiture has even less stringent standards; here, law enforcement only needs a suspicion of the vehicle’s connection to a crime, such as finding an excessive amount of cash in it when they stop you on the highway. They don’t even need to charge you or anyone else with an actual crime to do so, either.

Each of these forfeiture types has different rules and regulations governing it, as well as specific timelines within which you must act to contest the forfeiture. That is why it is vital to have an attorney on your side who is familiar with all the laws and procedures.

Fighting A Vehicle Forfeiture And Recovering Your Car

While the government’s seizure of your vehicle may be legal in theory, it may not have been executed correctly in practice. If law enforcement made a mistake, even one as simple as not properly notifying you of the seizure, it can leave them vulnerable to legal challenges from a skilled attorney.

An experienced vehicle forfeiture lawyer can also defend you and your property, even when no procedural mistakes were made. By arguing that you had no knowledge of any crime committed with the vehicle (innocent owner defense) or demonstrating that it was acquired before the crime you are accused of, for example, your attorney may be able to get your car or truck back.

The key is to act quickly, because vehicle forfeiture deadlines can be very tight, especially for civil forfeiture cases.

Has Your Vehicle Been Seized? Call Us Today!

Losing your vehicle, especially one you need for commuting to work, is a blow few families can easily endure, especially in Texas. Defense attorney Arnold Spencer has decades of experience fighting back on behalf of the accused and has helped countless families recover vehicles and other seized assets.

To secure a free consultation with him and his team, just call (214) 376-4441 or reach out online today. Tell us about your vehicle, and we’ll get to work fighting tirelessly to get it back.