Section 16-14-7. Forfeiture proceedings

   (a) All property of every kind used or intended for use in the course of, derived from, or realized through a pattern of racketeering activity is subject to forfeiture to the state. Forfeiture shall be had by a civil procedure known as a RICO forfeiture proceeding under the following rules.

(b) A RICO forfeiture proceeding shall be governed by Chapter 11 of Title 9, the "Georgia Civil Practice Act," except to the extent that special rules of procedure are stated in this chapter.

(c) A RICO forfeiture proceeding shall be an in rem proceeding against the property.

(d) A RICO forfeiture proceeding shall be instituted by complaint and prosecuted by the district attorney of the county in which the property is located or seized. The proceeding may be commenced before or after seizure of the property.

(e) If the complaint is filed before seizure, it shall state what property is sought to be forfeited, that the property is within the jurisdiction of the court, the grounds for forfeiture, and the names of all persons known to have or claim an interest in the property. The court shall determine ex parte whether there is reasonable cause to believe that the property is subject to forfeiture and that notice to those persons having or claiming an interest in the property prior to seizure would cause the loss or destruction of the property. If the court finds that reasonable cause does not exist to believe the property is subject to forfeiture, it shall dismiss the complaint. If the court finds that reasonable cause does exist to believe the property is subject to forfeiture but there is not reasonable cause to believe that prior notice would result in loss or destruction, it shall order service on all persons known to have or claim an interest in the property prior to a further hearing on whether a writ of seizure should issue. If the court finds that there is reasonable cause to believe that the property is subject to forfeiture and to believe that prior notice would cause loss or destruction, it shall without any further hearing or notice issue a writ of seizure directing the sheriff of the county where the property is found to seize it.

(f) Seizure may be effected by a law enforcement officer authorized to enforce the penal laws of this state prior to the filing of the complaint and without a writ of seizure if the seizure is incident to a lawful arrest, search, or inspection and the officer has probable cause to believe the property is subject to forfeiture and will be lost or destroyed if not seized. Within ten days of the date of seizure, the seizure shall be reported by the officer to the district attorney of the circuit in which the seizure is effected; and the district attorney shall, within a reasonable time after receiving notice of seizure, file a complaint for forfeiture. The complaint shall state, in addition to the information required in subsection (e) of this Code section, the date and place of seizure.

(g) After the complaint is filed or the seizure effected, whichever is later, every person known to have or claim an interest in the property shall be served, if not previously served, with a copy of the complaint and a notice of seizure in the manner provided by Chapter 11 of Title 9, the "Georgia Civil Practice Act." Service by publication may be ordered upon any party whose whereabouts cannot be determined.
   (h)(1) Any person claiming an interest in the property may become a party to the action at any time prior to judgment whether named in the complaint or not. Any party claiming a substantial interest in the property may upon motion be allowed by the court to take possession of the property upon posting bond with good and sufficient security in double the amount of the property's value conditioned to pay the value of any interest in the property found to be subject to forfeiture or the value of any interest of another not subject to forfeiture. Such a party taking possession shall not remove the property from the territorial jurisdiction of the court without written permission from the court.

   (2) The court may, upon such terms and conditions as prescribed by it, order that the property be sold by an innocent party who holds a lien on or security interest in the property at any time during the proceedings. Any proceeds from such sale over and above the amount necessary to satisfy the lien or security interest shall be paid into court pending final judgment in the forfeiture proceeding. No such sale shall be ordered, however, unless the obligation upon which the lien or security interest is based is in default.

   (3) Pending final judgment in the forfeiture proceeding, the court may make any other disposition of the property which is in the interest of substantial justice.

(i) After service of process, all further proceedings shall be as provided in Chapter 11 of Title 9, the "Georgia Civil Practice Act," except that any party may bring one motion to dismiss at any time and such motion shall be heard and ruled on within ten days. Any party may demand a jury trial.

(j) The interest of an innocent party in the property shall not be subject to forfeiture. An innocent party is one who did not have actual or constructive knowledge that the property was subject to forfeiture.

(k) Subject to the requirement of protecting the interest of all innocent parties, the court may, after judgment of forfeiture, make any of the following orders for disposition of the property:

   (1) Destruction of contraband, the possession of which is illegal;

   (2) Retention for official use by any agency of this state or any political subdivision thereof. When such agency or political subdivision no longer has use for such property, it shall be disposed of by judicial sale;

   (3) Transfer to the Division of Archives and History of property useful for historical or instructional purposes;

   (4) Retention of the property by any innocent party having an interest therein, upon payment or approval of a plan for payment into court of the value of any forfeited interest in the property. The plan may include, in the case of an innocent party who holds a lien on or security interest in the property, the sale of the property by the innocent party under such terms and conditions as may be prescribed by the court and the payment into court of any proceeds from such sale over and above the amount necessary to satisfy the lien or security interest;

   (5) Judicial sale of the property;

   (6) Transfer of the property to any innocent party having an interest therein equal to or greater than the value of the property; or

   (7) Any other disposition of the property which is in the interest of substantial justice and adequately protects innocent parties.

(l) The net proceeds of any sale or disposition after satisfaction of the interest of any innocent party, less the greater of one-half thereof or the costs borne by the county in bringing the forfeiture action, shall be paid into the general fund of the state treasury. The costs borne by the county or one-half of the net proceeds of sale or disposition, whichever is greater, shall be paid into the treasury of the county where the forfeiture action is brought. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Code section, the court may, after satisfaction of the interest of any innocent party, make any other division of the proceeds among the state, county, or municipalities or agencies of the state, county, or municipalities, which is commensurate with the proportion of the assistance that each contributed to the underlying criminal action, forfeiture, or criminal action and forfeiture.

(m) In lieu of the provisions of subsections (c) through (g) of this Code section, the state may bring an in personam action for the forfeiture of any property subject to forfeiture under subsection (a) of this Code section.
   (n)(1) Upon the entry of a final judgment of forfeiture in favor of the state, the title of the state to the forfeited property shall:

      (A) In the case of real property or beneficial interest, relate back to the date of filing of the RICO lien notice in the official records of the county where the real property or beneficial trust is located and, if no RICO lien notice is filed, then to the date of the filing of any notice of lis pendens under Article 9 of Chapter 14 of Title 44 in the official records of the county where the real property or beneficial interest is located and, if no RICO lien notice or notice of lis pendens is so filed, then to the date of recording of the final judgment of forfeiture in the official records of the county where the real property or beneficial interest is located; and

      (B) In the case of personal property, relate back to the date the personal property was seized by the investigating agency.

   (2) If property subject to forfeiture is conveyed, alienated, disposed of, or otherwise rendered unavailable for forfeiture after the filing of a RICO lien notice or after the filing of a civil proceeding or criminal proceeding, whichever is earlier, the investigative agency may, on behalf of the state, institute an action in the appropriate superior court against the person named in the RICO lien notice or the defendant in the civil proceeding or criminal proceeding; and the court shall enter final judgment against the person named in the RICO lien notice or the defendant in the civil proceeding or criminal proceeding in an amount equal to the fair market value of the property, together with investigative costs and attorney's fees incurred by the investigative agency in the action. If a civil proceeding is pending, such action shall be filed only in the court where such civil proceeding is pending.

Code 1933, § 26-3405, enacted by Ga. L. 1980, p. 405, § 1; Ga. L. 1982, p. 1385, §§ 4, 5, 10, 11; Ga. L. 1984, p. 22, § 16; Ga. L. 1992, p. 6, § 16; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1114, § 1; Ga. L. 2002, p. 532, § 4.