South Carolina § 16-15-445 Seizure and forfeiture of equipment used in committing violation; hearing; disposition of forfeited property; allocation of sale proceeds.

South Carolina Statutes

§ 16-15-445 — Seizure and forfeiture of equipment used in committing violation; hearing; disposition of forfeited property; allocation of sale proceeds.

South Carolina § 16-15-445

Title 16CRIMES AND OFFENSES

Ch. 15OFFENSES AGAINST MORALITY AND DECENCY

This text of South Carolina § 16-15-445 (Seizure and forfeiture of equipment used in committing violation; hearing; disposition of forfeited property; allocation of sale proceeds.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering South Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

S.C. Code Ann. § 16-15-445 (2026).

Text

(A)All equipment used directly by a person in committing a violation of Sections 16-15-305, 16-15-342, 16-15-395, 16-15-405, or 16-15-410, including necessary software, may be seized by the law enforcement agency making the arrest and ordered forfeited by the court in which the conviction was obtained.

(B)Prior to entering a forfeiture order, the court must conduct a hearing to determine ownership and the rights of innocent third parties with respect to the property, and notice of the hearing must be given to all interested parties. The court must incorporate into its forfeiture order provisions necessary to protect the interests of innocent third parties.

(C)Subject to the limitations of subsection (B), property forfeited pursuant to court order must be destroyed by the arresting law e

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(A) All equipment used directly by a person in committing a violation of Sections 16-15-305, 16-15-342, 16-15-395, 16-15-405, or 16-15-410, including necessary software, may be seized by the law enforcement agency making the arrest and ordered forfeited by the court in which the conviction was obtained. (B) Prior to entering a forfeiture order, the court must conduct a hearing to determine ownership and the rights of innocent third parties with respect to the property, and notice of the hearing must be given to all interested parties. The court must incorporate into its forfeiture order provisions necessary to protect the interests of innocent third parties. (C) Subject to the limitations of subsection (B), property forfeited pursuant to court order must be destroyed by the arresting law enforcement agency, unless that law enforcement agency can show good cause for retaining the property. Ownership of property so retained vests in the arresting law enforcement agency which may use the property in the performance of its duties, destroy it, or sell it at public auction. Retained property may be sold at public auction after giving notice, in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, of the date, time, and place of the auction and a description of the property to be auctioned. After payment of the expenses of the auction, one-half of the net proceeds may be retained by the arresting law enforcement agency, and one-half must be remitted to the State Treasurer for deposit to the credit of the Office of the Attorney General, South Carolina Crime Victim Services Division, Department of Crime Victim Compensation, Victim Compensation Fund.

Legislative History

HISTORY: 1987 Act No. 168 SECTION 3; 2004 Act No. 208, SECTION 13, eff April 26, 2004; 2017 Act No. 96 (S.289), SECTION 9, eff July 1, 2017. Effect of Amendment 2017 Act No. 96, Pt. II, SECTION 9, in (C), substituted "Office of the Attorney General, South Carolina Crime Victim Services Division, Department of Crime Victim Compensation, Victim Compensation Fund" for "Victim's Compensation Fund".