Michigan Laws 324.76117 – Attaching, proceeding against, or confiscating equipment or apparatus; procedure; disposition of proceeds
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(1) If a person who violates this part or a rule promulgated under this part uses a watercraft, mechanical or other assistance, scuba gear, sonar equipment, a motor vehicle, or any other equipment or apparatus during the course of committing the violation, the items so used may be attached, proceeded against, and confiscated as prescribed in this part.
(2) To effect confiscation, the law enforcement or conservation officer seizing the property shall file a verified complaint in the circuit court for the county in which the seizure was made or in the circuit court for Ingham county. The complaint shall set forth the kind of property seized, the time and place of the seizure, the reasons for the seizure, and a demand for the property’s condemnation and confiscation. Upon the filing of the complaint, an order shall be issued requiring the owner to show cause why the property should not be confiscated. The substance of the complaint shall be stated in the order. The order to show cause shall fix the time for service of the order and for the hearing on the proposed condemnation and confiscation.
Terms Used In Michigan Laws 324.76117
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- Department: means the director of the department of natural resources or his or her designee to whom the director delegates a power or duty by written instrument. See Michigan Laws 324.301
- Mechanical or other assistance: means all humanmade devices, including pry bars, wrenches and other hand or power tools, cutting torches, explosives, winches, flotation bags, lines to surface, extra divers buoyancy devices, and other buoyance devices, used to raise or remove artifacts. See Michigan Laws 324.76101
- Person: means an individual, partnership, corporation, association, governmental entity, or other legal entity. See Michigan Laws 324.301
- Rule: means a rule promulgated pursuant to the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24. See Michigan Laws 324.301
- state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories belonging to the United States; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the district and territories. See Michigan Laws 8.3o
(3) The order to show cause shall be served on the owner of the property as soon as possible, but not less than 7 days before the complaint is to be heard. The court, for cause shown, may hear the complaint on shorter notice. If the owner is not known or cannot be found, notice may be served in 1 or more of the following ways:
(a) By posting a copy of the order in 3 public places for 3 consecutive weeks in the county in which the seizure was made and by sending a copy of the order by certified mail to the last known business or residential address of the owner. If the last addresses of the owner are not known, mailing a copy of the order is not required.
(b) By publishing a copy of the order in a newspaper once each week for 3 consecutive weeks in the county where the seizure was made and by sending a copy of the order by registered mail to the last known residential address of the owner. If the last residential address of the owner is not known, mailing a copy of the order is not required.
(c) In such a manner as the court directs.
(4) Upon hearing of the complaint, if the court determines that the property mentioned in the petition was possessed, shipped, or used contrary to law, either by the owner or by a person lawfully in possession of the property under an agreement with the owner, an order shall be made condemning and confiscating the property and directing its sale or other disposal by the department. If the owner signs a property release, a court proceeding is not necessary. At the hearing, if the court determines that the property was not possessed, shipped, or used contrary to law, the court shall order the department to immediately return the property to its owner.
(5) The department shall deposit the proceeds it receives under this section into the state treasury to the credit of the underwater preserve fund created in section 76118.