Civil Asset Forfeiture

Colorado Becomes Second State To Create Right to an Attorney When Police Seize Your Property

A bill tightening Colorado's civil asset forfeiture laws passed the state legislature by wide bipartisan margins and was signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis.

C.J. Ciaramella | 6.15.2026 2:16 PM

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Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill earlier this month tightening the state's restrictions on when police can seize cash and property from suspected criminals, as well as giving property owners a right to an attorney in forfeiture cases.

Colorado now has some of the strictest laws in the country governing police's use of civil asset forfeiture, a practice that typically allows law enforcement to seize property suspected of being connected to criminal activity, even if the owner isn't charged with a crime. Colorado is also now the second state to create a........

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