2010 Tennessee Code
Title 40 - Criminal Procedure
Chapter 33 - Forfeitures
Part 2 - Forfeiture Procedures Generally
40-33-208 - Bonding procedure.

40-33-208. Bonding procedure.

(a)  Pending any proceeding to forfeit seized property, any owner or co-owner may, and any secured party shall, unless a warrant for the forfeiture of the secured party's interest is issued or unless the seizing agency objects, obtain immediate possession of the property by submitting to the jurisdiction of the applicable agency and executing, with one (1) or more sureties approved by the applicable agency, a bond in favor of the state of Tennessee in the amount provided by this section. If the seizing agency objects, a secured party, owner or co-owner may not obtain possession of the property pursuant to this section until five (5) days after the date the property is seized.

     (1)  If the property seized was other than a motor vehicle, bond shall be in an amount equal to two (2) times the retail value of the property.

     (2)  If the property seized was a motor vehicle titled in the name of one (1) or more persons who are not secured parties, the bond shall be in an amount equal to the NADA Southeastern Edition retail value of the vehicle.

(b)  A secured party may obtain immediate possession of the seized property by executing the bond provided in subdivision (a)(2) or by executing an annual bond or letter of credit with a regulated financial institution in the amount of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000). Upon submitting proof of the bond or letter of credit, the applicable agency may release the property to the secured party.

(c)  Any owner, co-owner or secured party who fails to produce the seized property upon the issuance of a forfeiture order, or who fails to tender to the applicable agency the value of the interest that is forfeited, shall have the bond posted with the applicable agency forfeited in lieu of and in the same manner as the seized property.

(d)  Notwithstanding the provisions of any conditional sales contract, security agreement or the provisions of title 47, chapter 9, to the contrary, a secured party who obtains possession of seized property under the provisions of this section shall be prohibited from releasing the property to the person in possession of it at the time of seizure, but the secured party shall not otherwise be limited in exercising any right the party could exercise under the security agreement or law. The person in possession of the property at the time of seizure shall be ineligible to redeem any property released to a secured party, or to bid at any sale of the property by any holder of the security interest acting pursuant to a security agreement, contract or title 47, chapter 9.

(e)  Any secured party or successor in interest to the secured party who, pending a forfeiture hearing, bonds out and obtains immediate possession of a conveyance seized pursuant to this part shall notify the applicable agency and the seizing agency of any sale of the seized property conducted by the secured party or successor in interest. The secured party or successor in interest shall send to the seizing agency any proceeds resulting from the sale that were in excess of the amount required to satisfy the existing security interest. If the secured party or successor in interest sells the vehicle prior to the disposition of the forfeiture proceeding, the secured party or successor in interest shall notify the applicable agency in writing that a sale was conducted and the results of the sale. The secured party or successor in interest shall also notify the applicable agency of the amount of the security interest and the amount that resulted from the sale. The seizing agency shall be responsible for maintaining possession of any proceeds in excess of the amount of the security interest that the secured party or successor in interest returns to it following the sale of the confiscated vehicle. The seizing agency shall maintain possession of the proceeds until a final disposition in the forfeiture proceeding.

(f)  The state of Tennessee or any governmental official acting pursuant to this section shall not be liable for giving immediate possession of seized property to a person or entity pursuant to this section.

[Acts 1994, ch. 925, § 1.]