Texas § 59.03 SEIZURE OF CONTRABAND.

Texas Statutes

§ 59.03 — SEIZURE OF CONTRABAND.

Texas § 59.03

Code CRCode of Criminal Procedure

This text of Texas § 59.03 (SEIZURE OF CONTRABAND.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Tex. Code of Criminal Procedure Code Ann. § 59.03 (2026).

Text

Art. 59.03. SEIZURE OF CONTRABAND.

(a)Property subject to forfeiture under this chapter, other than property described by Article 59.12 , may be seized by any peace officer under authority of a search warrant.

(b)Seizure of property subject to forfeiture may be made without warrant if:

(1)the owner, operator, or agent in charge of the property knowingly consents;

(2)the seizure is incident to a search to which the owner, operator, or agent in charge of the property knowingly consents;

(3)the property subject to seizure has been the subject of a prior judgment in favor of the state in a forfeiture proceeding under this chapter; or

(4)the seizure was incident to a lawful arrest, lawful search, or lawful search incident to arrest.

(c)A peace officer who seizes property under this chapt

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Art. 59.03. SEIZURE OF CONTRABAND. (a) Property subject to forfeiture under this chapter, other than property described by Article 59.12 , may be seized by any peace officer under authority of a search warrant.
(b) Seizure of property subject to forfeiture may be made without warrant if:
(1) the owner, operator, or agent in charge of the property knowingly consents;
(2) the seizure is incident to a search to which the owner, operator, or agent in charge of the property knowingly consents;
(3) the property subject to seizure has been the subject of a prior judgment in favor of the state in a forfeiture proceeding under this chapter; or
(4) the seizure was incident to a lawful arrest, lawful search, or lawful search incident to arrest.
(c) A peace officer who seizes property under this chapter has custody of the property, subject only to replevy under Article 59.02 or an order of a court. A peace officer who has custody of property shall provide the attorney representing the state with a sworn statement that contains a schedule of the property seized, an acknowledgment that the officer has seized the property, and a list of the officer's reasons for the seizure. Not later than 72 hours after the seizure:
(1) the peace officer shall:
(A) place the property under seal;
(B) remove the property to a place ordered by the court; or
(C) require a law enforcement agency of the state or a political subdivision to take custody of the property and move it to a proper location; or
(2) if the property seized is a digital currency, non-fungible token, or stablecoin, the law enforcement agency employing the peace officer shall transfer the property to a wallet that is:
(A) not connected to an exchange or network; and
(B) only accessible by the law enforcement agency or the attorney representing the state.
(d) A person in the possession of property at the time a peace officer seizes the property under this chapter may at the time of seizure assert the person's interest in or right to the property. A peace officer, including the peace officer who seizes the property, may not request, require, or in any manner induce any person, including a person who asserts an interest in or right to the property, to execute a document purporting to waive the person's interest in or rights to property seized under this chapter.
(e) At any time before notice is filed under Article 59.04 (b), an attorney representing the state may not request, require, or in any manner induce any person, including a person who asserts an interest in or right to property seized under this chapter, to execute a document purporting to waive the person's interest in or rights to the property.

Legislative History

Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., 1st C.S., ch. 12, Sec. 1, eff. Oct. 18, 1989. Subsec. (a) amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 438, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Subsec. (d) added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 929, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2001. Amended by: Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1321 (S.B. 316 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1063 (S.B. 1498 ), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2025.