Civil asset forfeiture have become subject to tremendous abuse by law enforcement who are using these laws as a means to seize property from citizens who have been found guilty of NO crimes. Citizens have, without trial or reasonable options for redress, had cash, vehicles and even their homes taken by local, state and federal law enforcement. As highlighted in a Sept 18, 2014 Op-Ed in the Washington Post written by two of the original architects of these laws John Yoder and Brad Cates, " civil forfeiture is fundamentally at odds with our judicial system and notions of fairness."
Civil asset forfeiture laws legalize criminal behavior by law enforcement and are anathema to the essential values of the United States. As urged by the very creators of these laws, they must be abolished.