# Justice Manual § 9-116.120: Federal Law Enforcement Agency Review of Adoption Requests

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-116.120

## Section

- **Citation:** Justice Manual § 9-116.120
- **Heading:** Federal Law Enforcement Agency Review of Adoption Requests
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** DOJ Justice Manual / Title 9: Criminal / 9-116.000 - Equitable Sharing And Federal Adoption / Justice Manual § 9-116.120

## Text

The adopting federal agency must consider adoption requests promptly. Property management issues must be addressed in consultation with the U.S. Marshals Service prior to an adoption. The request for adoption must be accepted prior to the transfer of the property to federal custody unless exceptional circumstances exist.

Only an attorney outside the chain-of-command of operational officials (e.g., the seizing agency's office of chief counsel or other legal unit) may approve a request for adoption unless:

the seizure was based on a judicial seizure warrant; or
an arrest was made in connection with the seizure; or
drugs or other contraband were seized from the person from whom the property was seized.

Federal law enforcement agencies may expand the circumstances requiring attorney approval. Any attorney review shall verify that:

the property is subject to federal forfeiture;
there is probable cause to support the seizure;
the property is not within the custody of a state court; and
there is no other legal impediment to a successful forfeiture action.

For more information on this topic, see Chapter 1 of the Asset Forfeiture Policy Manual.

[updated May 2010]

## Nearby sections

- [Justice Manual § 9-116.100 General Equitable Sharing Policies and Procedures](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-116.100.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-116.110 Federal Adoption](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-116.110.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-116.120 Federal Law Enforcement Agency Review of Adoption Requests](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-116.120.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-116.150 Judicial Review Favored](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-116.150.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-116.160 30-Day Rule for Presentation for Federal Adoption](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-116.160.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-116.170 United States Attorney Recommendation For Adoption of Seizure](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-116.170.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-116.190 Retention of Custody by State or Local Agency](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-116.190.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-116.195 Use of Anticipatory Seizure Warrants](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-116.195.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-116.210 Equitable Sharing Decisions](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-116.210.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-116.310 Equitable Sharing Payments](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-116.310.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-116.312 Role of Law Enforcement Coordinating Committees](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-116.312.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-116.400 International Sharing of Forfeited Assets](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-116.400.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-116.500 Transfer of Forfeited Real Property Pursuant to Weed and Seed](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-116.500.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-116.530 Mortgages and Ownership Interests in Weed and Seed Transferred Real Property](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-116.530.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-116.120. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.