(1)(a) Except with respect to contraband items, which shall be seized and summarily forfeited, proceedings for forfeiture are deemed commenced by the seizure. The agency under whose authority the seizure was made shall cause notice to be served within 15 days following the seizure on the owner of the property seized and the person in charge thereof and any person having any known right or interest therein, including any community property interest, of the seizure and intended forfeiture of the seized property. Service of notice of seizure must be made according to the rules of civil procedure, except that service by mail shall be by certified mail, return receipt requested. However, a default judgment with respect to real property may not be obtained against a party who is served by substituted service absent an affidavit stating that a good faith effort has been made to ascertain if the defaulted party is incarcerated within the state, and that there is no present basis to believe that the party is incarcerated within the state. Notice of seizure in the case of property subject to a security interest that has been perfected by filing a financing statement in accordance with chapter 62A.9A RCW, or a certificate of title, must be made by service upon the secured party or the secured party's assignee at the address shown on the financing statement or the certificate of title.
(b) The notice must include information indicating that if the property owner or other person claiming a right or interest in the property contests the forfeiture, the person has the right to move the matter to a court of competent jurisdiction, and if the person substantially prevails in a forfeiture proceeding, the person is entitled to reimbursement for reasonable attorneys' fees.
(2) If no person notifies the seizing agency in writing of the person's claim of ownership or right to possession of an item seized within 60 days of the service of notice from the seizing agency in the case of personal property and 120 days in the case of real property, the item seized is deemed forfeited. The community property interest in real property of a person whose spouse or domestic partner committed a violation giving rise to seizure of the real property may not be forfeited if the person did not participate in the violation.
(3) If any person notifies the seizing agency in writing of the person's claim of ownership or right to possession of an item seized within 60 days of the service of notice from the seizing agency in the case of personal property and 120 days in the case of real property, the person or persons must be afforded a reasonable opportunity to be heard as to the claim or right. The notice of claim may be served by any method authorized by law or court rule including, but not limited to, service by first-class mail. Service by mail is deemed complete upon mailing within the 60-day period following service of the notice of seizure in the case of personal property and within the 120-day period following service of the notice of seizure in the case of real property.
(4) The hearing must be before the chief law enforcement officer of the seizing agency or the chief law enforcement officer's designee, except that where the seizing agency is a state agency as defined in RCW 34.12.020(4), the hearing must be before the chief law enforcement officer of the seizing agency or an administrative law judge appointed under chapter 34.12 RCW. Such a hearing and any appeal therefrom must be under Title 34 RCW.
(5) Any person asserting a claim or right may remove the matter to a court of competent jurisdiction. Removal of any matter involving personal property may only be accomplished according to the rules of civil procedure. The person seeking removal of the matter must serve process against the state, county, political subdivision, or municipality that operates the seizing agency, and any other party of interest, in accordance with RCW 4.28.080 or 4.92.020, within 45 days after the person seeking removal has notified the seizing agency of the person's claim of ownership or right to possession. The court to which the matter is to be removed must be the district court, or the municipal court for the jurisdiction in which the property was seized, when the aggregate value of personal property is within the jurisdictional limit set forth in RCW 3.66.020.
(6)(a) Whether the matter is heard under Title 34 RCW pursuant to subsection (4) of this section or removed to court pursuant to subsection (5) of this section, the burden of proof is upon the seizing agency to establish, by clear, cogent, and convincing evidence, that the property is subject to forfeiture.
(b) No personal property may be forfeited to the extent of the interest of an owner, by reason of any act or omission committed or omitted without the owner's knowledge or consent.
(c) No real property may be forfeited to the extent of the interest of an owner, by reason of any act or omission committed or omitted without the owner's knowledge or consent.
(d) A forfeiture of real property encumbered by a bona fide security interest is subject to the interest of the secured party if the secured party, at the time the security interest was created, neither had knowledge of nor consented to the act or omission.
(7) The seizing agency shall promptly return seized items, in a substantially similar condition as when they were seized, to the claimant upon a determination by the administrative law judge or court that the claimant is the present lawful owner or is lawfully entitled to possession thereof.
(8) In any proceeding to forfeit property under this chapter, where the claimant substantially prevails, the claimant is entitled to reasonable attorneys' fees reasonably incurred by the claimant.
(9) The protections afforded by the service members' civil relief act, chapter 38.42 RCW, are applicable to proceedings under this chapter.
[ 2025 c 306 s 2.]
Notes:
Application—Effective date—2025 c 306: See notes following RCW 7.120.010.