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Senate Judiciary hearing spotlights small‑value forfeitures and a widow’s loss; lawmakers press for procedural fixes
Summary
Lawmakers heard testimony Dec. 18 that most Arkansas forfeitures are small (median ≈ $1,045) and that procedural rules — including a notarized ‘verified answer’ requirement and low thresholds for pursuit — contribute to defaults. A 78‑year‑old witness told the committee she lost a 1969 Bronco and other property after a relative’s arrest.
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Dec. 18 heard detailed testimony about civil asset forfeiture in Arkansas, including data showing most seizures are small and a first‑hand account from a Hot Springs widow who says she lost several items of personal property after her son’s arrest.
Lee McGrath, speaking to the panel, distinguished seizures (possession by police) from forfeiture (a judicial process overseen by prosecutors and judges) and said Arkansas has forfeited roughly $153 million over about 19 years, with about $46 million returned to state agencies through federal equitable‑sharing programs. McGrath said the median currency seizure in the state is about $1,045 and that roughly three‑quarters of cash seizures are under $2,500.
“Seizure is the work of police; forfeiture is litigation by prosecutors,” McGrath told senators, and he urged the committee to consider reforms that reduce burdens on innocent owners and blunt any financial incentive for agencies to pursue property. He identified several reform…
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