§ 356.7 Petition for remission or mitigation of forfeiture.

(a) Any person who has an interest in any property specified in § 356.1 and valued at $10,000 or less, or any person who has incurred or is alleged to have incurred a forfeiture of any such property, may file with the Deputy Administrator a petition for remission or mitigation of forfeiture while the property is in the custody of the Deputy Administrator. (b) A petition filed with the Deputy Administrator need not be in any particular form, but must contain the following: (1) A description of the property: (2) The time, date, and place of seizure; (3) Evidence of the petitioner's interest in the property such as contracts, bills of sale, invoices, security interests, certificates of title; and (4) A statement of all facts and circumstances relied upon by the petitioners to justify remission or mitigation of the forfeiture. (c) The petition shall be signed by the petitioner or the petitioner's attorney at law. If the petitioner is a business, the petition must be signed by a partner, officer, or petitioner's attorney at law. (d) Upon receiving the petition, the Deputy Administrator shall decide whether or not to grant relief. In making a decision, the Deputy Administrator shall consider the information submitted by the petitioner, as well as any other available information relating to the matter, and may require that testimony be taken concerning the petition. (e) If the Deputy Administrator finds that the forfeiture was incurred without willful negligence or without any intention on the part of the petitioner to violate the law or finds the existence of such mitigating circumstances as to justify remission or mitigation of the forfeiture or alleged forfeiture, the Deputy Administrator may remit or mitigate the same upon terms and conditions as he deems reasonable and just. However, remission or mitigation will not be made if such action would frustrate the purposes of the Act or Convention. As an example, this section does not allow remission or mitigation with respect to terrestrial plants that are without documentation required under 50 CFR chapter I. (f) The Deputy Administrator shall notify the petitioner in writing concerning whether the petition was granted or denied, and shall state the reasons therefor. If the petition is denied fully or in part, the petitioner may then file a supplemental petition, but no supplemental petition shall be considered unless it is received within 60 days from the date of the Deputy Administrator's notification concerning the original petition. The Deputy Administrator shall notify the petitioner in writing concerning the action taken in response to the supplemental petition, and shall state the reasons therefor.