CFR

8.10—Remission or mitigation of forfeiture.

(a) Any person claiming a legal or equitable interest in any property which has been forfeited pursuant to statutes identified in § 8.1, may file, in accordance with the provisions of 28 CFR part 9, a petition for remission or mitigation of the forfeiture or a petition for restoration of the proceeds of sale or for value of the property placed in official use. If the foreiture proceedings are administrative, the petition shall be addressed to the Director of the FBI and shall be filed in triplicate with the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI field office that seized the property. It must be executed and sworn to by the person alleging interest in the property. If the forfeiture proceedings are judicial, the petition shall be addressed to the Attorney General of the United States and filed in triplicate with the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI field office that seized the property. The petition for a judicial forfeiture shall be sworn to by the petitioner, or by his or her counsel upon information and belief.

(b) The petition shall include the following:

(1) A complete description of the property, including model and serial numbers, if any, and the date and place of seizure;

(2) The petitioner's interest in the property, which shall be supported by bills of sale, contracts, mortgages, or other satisfactory documentary evidence; and,

(3) The facts and circumstances, established by satisfactory proof, relied upon by the petitioner to justify remission or mitigation of the forfeiture. For further information regarding the content of a petition, see 28 CFR 9.5.

(c) Where the petition is for restoration of the proceeds of sale, or for value of the property placed in official use, it must be supported by satisfactory proof that the petitioner did not know of the seizure prior to the declaration of forfeiture and was in such circumstances as prevented petitioner from knowing of the same.

(d) A petition for remission or mitigation of forfeiture should be filed within 30 days of the receipt of the notice of seizure. Once forfeited property is disposed of, a petition for remission or mitigation of forfeiture will no longer be accepted. A petition for restoration of proceeds of sale or for value of the property placed in official use must be filed within 90 days of the sale of the property, or within 90 days of the date the property is placed in official use.

(e) Upon receipt of a petition, an appropriate investigation shall be conducted by the FBI. No hearing shall be held. For administrative forfeitures, the petition and the results of the petition investigation shall be forwarded to the Legal Counsel Division, FBI. Final decisions on petitions for property forfeited administratively shall be made by the Assistant Director, Legal Counsel, FBI or his designee within the Legal Counsel Division, FBI. For judicial forfeitures, the petition and the results of the petition investigation shall be forwarded to the U.S. Attorney who prosecuted the property. The U.S. Attorney shall forward the petition and the results of the investigation together with a recommendation as to allowance or denial of the petition to the Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division. The matter shall be assigned to the Asset Forfeiture Office who shall either grant the petition by remission or mitigation of the forfeiture or shall deny it.

(f) A request for reconsideration of the denial of the petition for an administrative forfeiture must be submitted within 10 days from receipt of the letter denying the petition. Such request shall be addressed to the Director of the FBI for referral to the FBI Legal Counsel Division and shall be based on evidence recently developed or not previously considered. Only one request for reconsideration of a denial of a petition shall be considered. For further information regarding petitions see 28 CFR part 9.

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