At Lee & Andreano Law P.C., we have over 30 years of proven legal experience and are well trained in every aspect of contesting Illinois civil asset seizures.
What is Civil Asset Forfeiture?
Asset forfeiture is the permanent confiscation of private property by law enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal levels. Illinois and federal law both permit law enforcement agencies to take cash, land, vehicles and other property they suspect is involved in or derived from illegal activity.
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How We’re Different
We use an interdisciplinary approach to win Frankfort, Illinois Civil asset forfeiture cases! Most attorneys practice either criminal law or civil law, two fields with very different rules and procedures. Our Team knows both criminal and civil law and uses this interdisciplinary approach to achieve the best results for our clients. Read More . .
Frankfort, Illinois Civil Forfeiture Advisory Areas
Hardship
Preliminary Hearing
Time Limits
DUI Seizure
Drug Seizure
Parent Owners
Excessive Fine
Cash Seizures
Our law firm is known for fighting for citizens facing wrongful government seizures.
Citizens can fight back. Strict time limits apply to seizures, and new laws favor innocent owners. There are also hardship exceptions, rights to preliminary determinations, and many other defenses which a citizen can argue – but judges cannot consider defenses you don’t properly assert.
At Lee & Andreano Law P.C., we have over 30 years of proven legal experience and are well training in every aspect of contesting civil asset seizures. If you or a loved one need assistance, please give us a call.
Our law firm is renowned for advocating on behalf of individuals who have been unjustly targeted by government seizures. In Illinois, laws permit the police and prosecutors to confiscate cars, money, bank accounts, and other assets based on mere suspicion of involvement in certain illegal activities. While initially designed to combat drug cartels and organized crime leaders, innocent citizens are increasingly falling victim to unjust and excessive government seizures, now commonly referred to as “policing for profit”.
“The forfeiture division operates like an immature rookie traffic cop who cheerfully brags about writing more tickets than any other officer on the force, even after repeatedly losing in court,” according to Andreano’s response. “The case at bar is the poster child for what is wrong with the forfeiture division and is but a small portion of why so many people have lost faith in our system of justice.”
– attorney Frank Andreano
Lee & Andreano in the news fighting for Frankfort, Illinois civil forfieture clients
Fighting for the rights of Illinoians
One especially egregious example is one our team is currently defending. In March of 2023, Almeda Cain, then 84 years old, received an unwelcome lesson about Illinois forfeiture laws after her adult daughter borrowed her 2014 Mazda to drive to a local pharmacy. Unbeknownst to Almeda, her daughter’s driving privileges were suspended. The New Lenox Police stopped her car for having an expired tag, and the vehicle was seized. Subsequently, the prosecutor’s office instituted a forfeiture action to take the vehicle away permanently. Our office exposed this wrong and is fighting for Almeda, and many others facing a wrongful seizure.
Illinois New Forfeiture Act – What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You
In 2017 the Illinois General Assembly fundamentally changed Illinois forfeiture law. Illinois is no longer a purely guilty res (i.e. property) jurisdiction. Illinois is now a hybrid state that requires both proof that the property was used in a qualifying offense and the fault or involvement of the owner. The new Act also has several other safeguards including a mandatory excessive penalty (8th Amendment) analysis, innocent owner hearings, and relief for co-owners. More . . .
Illinois civil forfeiture rules get a D grade
The case of a former southern Illinois police chief accused of selling for personal gain vehicles seized during a criminal investigation is giving rise to an effort to change state law to require law enforcement to better track what they do with other people’s possessions. At least three bills introduced in recent weeks are aimed at improving transparency and providing data to accurately show what happens to seized property after police seize vehicles, firearms, cash and other items while looking into crime. Bill HB-1628 would require police to file an annual report of seized assets, the suspected crime, and accompanying information related to the original owner.