New bill would require conviction before property forfeiture in Michigan

The Huron Daily Tribune reported on February 27, 2018 that "House Bill  4158 would require that a person must first be convicted of a crime before having their property forfeited." State Representative Peter Lucido (District 36) introduced the bill.

As covered by John Oliver in a 2014 Last Week Tonight episode, civil forfeiture is a huge deal.  Through civil forfeiture, police and other law enforcement can seize and dispose of personal property without any judicial process if they believe it to be connected to drugs. So police departments and other agencies have a whole lot of incentive to err in favor of warrantless seizure. Houses, vehicles, and tons of cash.

As one officer asked a Spanish-speaking truck driver, "Tenny mucho mucho deniro in su trucky-trailer?"