# Justice Manual § 9-112.150: Seizure Pursuant to a Criminal Warrant: Availability of Administrative Forfeiture

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-112.150

## Section

- **Citation:** Justice Manual § 9-112.150
- **Heading:** Seizure Pursuant to a Criminal Warrant: Availability of Administrative Forfeiture
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** DOJ Justice Manual / Title 9: Criminal / 9-112.000 - Administrative And Judicial Forfeiture / Justice Manual § 9-112.150

## Text

A seizing agency may commence a forfeiture proceeding as a criminal forfeiture (i.e., by seizing the property with a criminal seizure warrant under section 853(f)) and subsequently convert the proceeding to an administrative one without reseizing the property or taking some other action under the civil forfeiture statutes. Except in extraordinary circumstances, if the Government desires to commence administrative forfeiture proceedings against property seized pursuant to a criminal seizure warrant, it should do so within 60 days of the seizure. If the 60-day deadline has passed, and the Government still desires to pursue the forfeiture civilly instead of criminally, the case should be referred to the U.S. Attorney to commence a civil judicial proceeding. For additional information on this topic see Chapter 2 of the Asset Forfeiture Policy Manual ("Seizure Pursuant to a Criminal Warrant: Availability of Administrative Forfeiture").

[new May 2010]

## Nearby sections

- [Justice Manual § 9-112.110 Administrative Forfeiture Policy](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-112.110.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-112.120 Interplay of Administrative Forfeiture and Criminal Forfeiture](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-112.120.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-112.130 Requesting the Seizing Agency to Suspend the Administrative Forfeiture](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-112.130.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-112.140 Conversion of Administrative Forfeitures Covered by the Customs Carve-Out in CAFRA to Judicial Forfeitures](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-112.140.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-112.150 Seizure Pursuant to a Criminal Warrant: Availability of Administrative Forfeiture](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-112.150.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-112.160 Motions for Reconsideration in Criminal Forfeiture Cases](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-112.160.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-112.170 Preference for Federal Forfeiture](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-112.170.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-112.210 Sixty-Day Notice Period in All Administrative Forfeiture Cases](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-112.210.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-112.220 Policy on the Deadline for Filing a Civil Forfeiture Action in Cases that do not Begin as Administrative Forfeiture Proceedings](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-112.220.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-112.230 Preservation Policy for Civil Forfeiture](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-112.230.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-112.240 Prior Approval Requirements](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-112.240.md)

---

Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-112.150. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.