Civil asset forfeiture bill passes Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C. — After an extensive debate, H.R. 1658, the "Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000," passed both the House and Senate. The bill was awaiting the PresidentÕs signature at press time.

One of the highlights of the recently passed bill modifies previous "probable cause" requirements, charging the burden of proof as "a preponderance of evidence" rather than "clear and convincing evidence."