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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>55965</law_id><section_number>19.2-386.9</section_number><catch_line>Appearance by owner or lien holder</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>19.2-386.10</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="19.2">Criminal Procedure</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="22.1">Enforcement of Forfeitures</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Any person claiming to be an owner or <span class="dictionary">lien</span> holder of the named property may appear at any time within thirty days after service on him of notice to appear or on or before the date certain set forth in any <span class="dictionary">order</span> of publication under &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="What order of publication to state; how published; when publication in newspaper dispensed with; electronic notice" href="/8.01-317/">8.01-317</a> or such longer time as the <span class="dictionary">court</span> in its discretion may allow to prevent a miscarriage of justice. Any person without actual or constructive notice of the forfeiture proceedings claiming to be an owner or lienholder may appear at any time before final <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> of the <span class="dictionary">trial</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> and be made a <span class="dictionary">party</span> to the action. Such <span class="dictionary">appearance</span> shall be by answer, under <span class="dictionary">oath</span>, which shall clearly set forth (i) the nature of the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>&#x2019;s claim; (ii) the exact right, title or character of the ownership or interest in the property and the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> thereof; and (iii) the reason, cause, exemption or defense he may have against the forfeiture of the property.</p></section></text><history>1989, c. 690; 1991, c. 560.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
