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19 U.S.C. § 1615

Burden of proof in forfeiture proceedings

United States · Title 19 — CUSTOMS DUTIES · Status: effective

Transportation & Motor Vehicles
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Citation
19 U.S.C. § 1615, Burden of proof in forfeiture proceedings, United States, version 1 as recorded 2026-07-09, yourstate.us, https://yourstate.us/provision/450499
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Full text

In all suits or actions (other than those arising under section 1592 of this title) brought for the forfeiture of any vessel, vehicle, aircraft, merchandise, or baggage seized under the provisions of any law relating to the collection of duties on imports or tonnage, where the property is claimed by any person, the burden of proof shall lie upon such claimant; and in all suits or actions brought for the recovery of the value of any vessel, vehicle, aircraft, merchandise, or baggage, because of violation of any such law, the burden of proof shall be upon the defendant: Provided, That probable cause shall be first shown for the institution of such suit or action, to be judged of by the court, subject to the following rules of proof:

Legislative history

The public laws that enacted or amended this section. Tallies are for the whole bill as it passed each chamber — often an omnibus covering far more than this provision — not a vote on this section alone. The law that originally enacted this section predates the public laws loaded here, so only later amendments are listed.

  • Amended byPub. L. 95-410(H.R. 8149)1978-10-03
    Customs Procedural Reform and Simplification Act of 1978
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 98-473(H.J.Res. 648)1984-10-12
    A joint resolution making continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 1985, and for other purposes.
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 98-573(H.R. 3398)1984-10-30
    Omnibus Tariff and Trade Act of 1984
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally