Skip to main content
HR 5212 113th Congress House Crime and Law Enforcement Criminal justice information and records Criminal procedure and sentencing Evidence and witnesses Government information and archives Intergovernmental relations Lawyers and legal services Property rights State and local finance State and local government operations

Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2014

Introduced: September 17, 2014 Introduced by: Walberg, Tim Republican · Michigan See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 113th Congress ended
It never became law before the 113th Congress (2013–2014) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Sep 26, 2014
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
Jul 28, 2014
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Jul 28, 2014
Introduced in House
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2014 - Amends the federal criminal code to require the government to include in any notice required to be sent in a nonjudicial civil forfeiture proceeding under a civil forfeiture statute that the person receiving the notice may be able to obtain free or reduced rate legal representation.

Requires the government, in a suit or action brought under any civil forfeiture statute for the civil forfeiture of property, to prove that the property is subject to forfeiture by clear and convincing evidence (currently, by a preponderance of the evidence).

Provides that where a prima facie case is made for an innocent owner defense, the government has the burden of proving that the claimant knew or reasonably should have known that the property was involved in the illegal conduct giving rise to the forfeiture (currently, the claimant has the burden of proving that the claimant is an innocent owner). Places the burden on the government to show that the property owner should have had knowledge of the criminal activity by demonstrating that the property owner did not: (1) give timely notice to law enforcement of information that led the person to know the conduct giving rise to a forfeiture occurred; and (2) in a timely fashion, revoke or attempt to revoke permission for those engaging in such conduct to use the property or take reasonable actions in consultation with law enforcement to discourage or prevent the illegal use of the property.

Directs the court, in determining whether the forfeiture was constitutionally excessive, to consider such factors as the seriousness of the offense, the extent of the nexus of the property to the offense, the range of sentences available for the offense giving rise to forfeiture, the fair market value of the property, and the hardship to the property owner and dependents (currently, the court is required to compare the forfeiture to the gravity of the offense giving rise to the forfeiture).

Requires the Attorney General to: (1) specify, in the annual report on the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund, deposits from each type of forfeiture, identifying which funds were obtained from criminal forfeitures and which were obtained from civil forfeitures; and (2) assure that any equitable sharing between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and a local or state law enforcement agency was not initiated for the purpose of circumventing any state law that prohibits civil forfeiture or limits use or disposition of property obtained via civil forfeiture by state or local agencies.

What's happening now September 26, 2014

Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 5212: Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2014. 113th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-5212/
MLA
"H.R. 5212: Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2014." 113th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-5212/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 5212, 113th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-5212/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 5212: Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2014](https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-5212/)
Report a problem