KRS 218A.415: Procedure for seizure of property.

(1) Personal property subject to forfeiture under this chapter may be seized by any law

enforcement agency upon process issued by any judge that is empowered to issue a

warrant of arrest or search warrant and in whose jurisdiction the property is located.

Seizure of personal property without process may be made if:

(a) The seizure is incident to an arrest or a search under a search warrant;

(b) The property subject to seizure has been the subject of a prior judgment in

favor of the state in a criminal injunctio n or forfeiture proceeding based upon

this chapter;

(c) The law enforcement agency has probable cause to believe that the property is

directly or indirectly dangerous to health or safety; or

(d) The law enforcement agency has probable cause to believe that the property is

subject to forfeiture pursuant to this chapter.

(2) Property taken or detained under this section shall not be subject to replevin, but

shall be deemed to be in the custody of the law enforcement agency subject only to

the orders and decre es of the court having jurisdiction over the forfeiture

proceedings. When property is seized under this chapter, the law enforcement

agency may:

(a) Remove the property to a place designated by it; or

(b) Take custody of the property and remove it to an ap propriate location for

disposition in accordance with law.

(3) Real property subject to forfeiture may be seized only pursuant to final judgment

and order of forfeiture or upon order of the court having jurisdiction over the

property. The order may be obtained pursuant to this subsection upon application of

the Commonwealth.

(a) Upon receipt of the application, the court shall immediately enter an order

setting a date for hearing on the matter no fewer than five (5) days nor more

than ten (10) days after the filing of the application. At the hearing:

1. The court shall take evidence on the issues of whether the property

named in the application is forfeit and seizure is necessary to preserve

the property pending final judgment.

2. The Commonwealth shall have the initial burden of showing the

existence of probable cause for forfeiture of the property and the

necessity of seizure. On the showing by the Commonwealth, the

respondent shall have the burden of showing by a preponderance of the

evidence that the property is not subject to forfeiture.

3. Evidence at the seizure hearing may not be suppressed on the ground

that its acquisition by search or seizure violated constitutional

protections applicable in criminal cases relating to unreasonable

searches or seizures.

4. If the court makes a determinat ion in favor of the Commonwealth, it

shall enter an order authorizing the seizure of the property.

5. The court may, in its discretion, permit the owner of the property to post

security equal to the value of the property in lieu of seizure.

(b) A temporary seizure order pursuant to this section may be entered on

application without notice or an opportunity for a hearing if the

Commonwealth demonstrates that there is probable cause to believe that the

property with respect to which the order is sought is sub ject to forfeiture and

the need to preserve the availability of property through immediate seizure

outweighs the hardship that an immediate seizure may cause the owner. The

temporary order shall expire ten (10) days after the date on which it is entered

or at the time of the hearing provided for in paragraph (a) of this subsection.