Montana Code 23-5-184. Disposition of property
23-5-184. Disposition of property. (1) If the court finds that the personal property was not used for the purpose charged or was used without the knowledge or consent of the owner, it shall order the property released to the owner.
Terms Used In Montana Code 23-5-184
- Person: includes a corporation or other entity as well as a natural person. See Montana Code 1-1-201
- Personal property: All property that is not real property.
- Personal property: means money, goods, chattels, things in action, and evidences of debt. See Montana Code 1-1-205
- Property: means real and personal property. See Montana Code 1-1-205
- Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
- State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Montana Code 1-1-201
(2)If the court finds that the personal property was used for the purpose charged and was used with the knowledge or consent of the owner, the personal property shall be disposed of as follows:
(a)If proper proof of a claim is presented at the hearing by the holder of a security interest, the court shall order the personal property released to the holder of the security interest if the amount due the holder is equal to or in excess of the value of the personal property as of the date of seizure. If the amount due the holder of the security interest is less than the value of the personal property, the personal property may be sold at public auction by the law enforcement agency that seized the personal property in the manner provided by law for the sale of property under execution. The proceeds of the sale must first be used to pay the amount due to the holder of the security interest, with the remainder deposited in the account provided for in subsection (3). Instead of sale at public auction, the law enforcement agency may turn the personal property over to the holder of the security interest. The personal property may not be sold to an officer or employee of the law enforcement agency that seized the property or to a person related to an officer or employee by blood or marriage.
(b)If there is no security interest claimant and the law enforcement agency that seized the personal property wishes to retain the property for its official use, it may do so. If the personal property is not retained, it must be sold at public auction by the law enforcement agency that seized the personal property in the manner provided by law for the sale of property under execution and the proceeds of the sale must be deposited in the account provided for in subsection (3).
(c)If a security interest claimant has presented proper proof of a claim and the law enforcement agency that seized the personal property wishes to retain the property for its official use, it may do so provided it compensates the claimant in the amount of the security interest outstanding at the time of the seizure.
(3)Any forfeited negotiable instruments must be liquidated to cash. All forfeited cash and the proceeds of liquidated negotiable instruments must be deposited in a state special revenue account to the credit of the department of justice. The department may expend the money deposited in the account only for purposes of enforcement of gambling laws.
(4)In making a disposition of personal property, the court may take any action to protect the rights of innocent persons.