FreedomWorks Foundation Testifies on Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform in Georgia

Following this morning’s hearing before the Georgia House Subcommittee on the Judiciary (Civil) on civil asset forfeiture reform, FreedomWorks Director of Communications Jason Pye commented:

“Georgia is a national leader on justice reform. Unfortunately, the Peach State’s civil asset forfeiture laws fail to offer substantive protections for innocent property owners. The Fifth Amendment states that no person shall ‘be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.’ Due process and the presumption of innocence – two foundational principles of our legal system – are thrown out of the window in forfeiture proceedings. The property owner – who may never be charged with, let alone convicted of a crime – has to prove their property’s innocence and, in Georgia, the government need only meet a very low standard of evidence to subject property to forfeiture.”

“Civil asset forfeiture is fundamentally inconsistent with the constitutional values in which we believe, and we hope that the conversation on real reform continues under the Gold Dome.”

FreedomWorks Foundation’s written testimony, delivered by Pye, a Georgia native, at the hearing, is available here.

FreedomWorks Foundation seeks to engage and educate Americans across all demographics on the principles of smaller government, lower taxes, free markets, personal liberty, and the rule of law. For more information, please visit www.FreedomWorks.org/Foundation, or contact Jason Pye at JPye@FreedomWorks.org.