Georgia § 9-16-10 - Disposition of seized property.

§ 9-16-10. Disposition of seized property.

If property is seized, the state attorney may: Remove the property to a place designated by the superior court having jurisdiction over a civil forfeiture proceeding; Place the property under constructive seizure by giving notice of pending forfeiture to its owners and interest holders and filing notice of seizure in any appropriate public record relating to the property. Notice of a pending forfeiture may be posted in a prominent location in the courthouse for the jurisdiction having venue for the forfeiture if the owners' and interest holders' names are not known; Remove the property to a storage area within the jurisdiction of the court for safekeeping; Provide for another governmental agency, a receiver appointed by the court pursuant to Chapter 8 of this title, an owner, or an interest holder to take custody of the property and remove it to an appropriate location within the county where the property was seized; or Require the sheriff or chief of police of the political subdivision where the property was seized to take custody of the property and remove it to an appropriate location for disposition in accordance with law. The court, upon motion of the state attorney, a claimant, or the custodian of the property, may order property or any portion thereof to be sold upon such terms and conditions as may be prescribed by the court if the expense of keeping such property which has been attached or seized is excessive or disproportionate to the value of such property or such property: Is a depreciating asset; Is perishable or is liable to perish or waste; or May be greatly reduced in value by keeping it. The income from such sale shall be paid into the registry of the court pending final disposition of a civil forfeiture proceeding. If the property is currency and is not needed for evidentiary purposes, within 60 days of the seizure the seizing agency, or the state attorney if he or she has possession of such currency, shall deposit the currency into an account: That is separate from other operating accounts; That bears interest, if such account is available; and At a financial institution that has a branch location within the county where the civil forfeiture proceeding is located, and if such financial institution is not available, at a financial institution approved by the chief superior court judge of the circuit in which such county is located. If the property is a negotiable instrument and is not needed for evidentiary purposes, within 60 days of the seizure the seizing agency, or the state attorney if he or she has possession of such item, shall secure the negotiable instrument in a financial institution that has a branch location within the county where the civil forfeiture proceeding is located, and if such financial institution is not available, at a financial institution approved by the chief superior court judge of the circuit in which such county is located. If such instrument is converted to currency, it shall be deposited in accordance with paragraph (1) of this subsection. The account holder shall annually pay any interest that accrues under this subsection into the County Drug Abuse Treatment and Education Fund established pursuant to Article 6 of Chapter 21 of Title 15 at the same time the account holder files its annual report in accordance with subsection (g) of Code Section 9-16-19 . (Code 1981, § 9-16-10 , enacted by Ga. L. 2015, p. 693, § 1-1/HB 233.)