                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

RELEASE OF SEIZED PROPERTY (§ 19.2-386.5)

At any time prior to the filing of an information, the attorney for the
Commonwealth in the county or city in which the property has been seized
pursuant to Chapter 22.2 (§ 19.2-386.15 et seq.) or other provision under the
Code may, in his discretion, upon the payment of costs incident to the custody
of the seized property, return the seized property to an owner or lien holder,
without requiring that the owner or lien holder post bond as provided in §
19.2-386.6, if he believes the property is properly exempt from forfeiture
pursuant to § 19.2-386.8.
		At any time after the filing of an answer or upon default, on motion of the
attorney for the Commonwealth or a vulnerable adult, the court may order the
return of property to the vulnerable adult upon a showing that the property is
the subject of a violation of § 18.2-178.1 or traceable to such a violation and
is properly exempt from forfeiture pursuant to § 19.2-386.8.
		Any property seized and returned pursuant to § 19.2-386.36 shall not require
the payment of costs or the posting of a bond.

HISTORY: 1989, c. 690; 2002, cc. 588, 623; 2004, c. 995; 2012, cc. 283, 756;
2025, c. 160.