2009 Nebraska Code
Chapter 29 CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
29-818 Seized property; custody; pet animal or equine; additional procedures; hearing; order to pay expenses; delinquent payments; hearing; notice; appeal.

29-818. Seized property; custody; pet animal or equine; additional procedures; hearing; order to pay expenses; delinquent payments; hearing; notice; appeal.

(1) Except for pet animals or equines as provided in subsection (2) of this section, property seized under a search warrant or validly seized without a warrant shall be safely kept by the officer seizing the same unless otherwise directed by the judge or magistrate, and shall be so kept so long as necessary for the purpose of being produced as evidence on any trial. Property seized may not be taken from the officer having it in custody by replevin or other writ so long as it is or may be required as evidence in any trial, nor may it be so taken in any event where a complaint has been filed in connection with which the property was or may be used as evidence, and the court in which such complaint was filed shall have exclusive jurisdiction for disposition of the property or funds and to determine rights therein, including questions respecting the title, possession, control, and disposition thereof.

(2)(a) Any pet animal or equine seized under a search warrant or validly seized without a warrant may be kept by the officer seizing the same on the property of the person who owns, keeps, harbors, maintains, or controls such pet animal or equine.

(b) When any pet animal or equine is seized or held the court shall provide the person who owns, keeps, harbors, maintains, or controls such pet animal or equine with notice that a hearing will be had and specify the date, time, and place of such hearing. Such notice shall be served by personal or residential service or by certified mail. If such notice cannot be served by such methods, service may be made by publication in the county where such pet animal or equine was seized. Such publication shall be made after application and order of the court. Unless otherwise determined and ordered by the court, the date of such hearing shall be no later than ten days after the seizure.

(c) At the hearing, the court shall determine the disposition of the pet animal or equine, and if the court determines that any pet animal or equine shall not be returned, the court shall order the person from whom the pet animal or equine was seized to pay all expenses for the support and maintenance of the pet animal or equine, including expenses for shelter, food, veterinary care, and board, necessitated by the possession of the pet animal or equine. At the hearing, the court shall also consider the person's ability to pay for the expenses of the pet animal or equine and the amount of such payments. Payments shall be for a succeeding thirty-day period with the first payment due on or before the tenth day following the hearing. Payments for each subsequent succeeding thirty-day period, if any, shall be due on or before the tenth day of such period.

(d) If a person becomes delinquent in his or her payments for the expenses of the pet animal or equine, the court shall hold a hearing to determine the disposition of the seized pet animal or equine. Notice of such hearing shall be given to the person who owns, keeps, harbors, maintains, or controls such pet animal or equine and to any lienholder or security interest holder of record as provided in subdivision (b) of this subsection.

(e) An appeal may be entered within ten days after a hearing under subdivision (c) or (d) of this subsection. Any person filing an appeal shall post a bond sufficient to pay all costs of care of the pet animal or equine for thirty days. Such payment will be required for each succeeding thirty-day period until the appeal is final.

(f) Should the person be found not guilty, all funds paid for the expenses of the pet animal or equine shall be returned to the person.

(g) For purposes of this subsection:

(i) Pet animal means any domestic dog, domestic cat, mini pig, domestic rabbit, domestic ferret, domestic rodent, bird except a bird raised as an agricultural animal and specifically excluding any bird possessed under a license issued by the State of Nebraska or the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, nonlethal aquarium fish, nonlethal invertebrate, amphibian, turtle, nonvenomous snake that will not grow to more than eight feet in length at maturity, or such other animal as may be specified and for which a permit shall be issued by an animal control authority after inspection and approval, except that any animal forbidden to be sold, owned, or possessed by federal or state law is not a pet animal; and

(ii) Equine means a horse, pony, donkey, mule, hinny, or llama.

(h) This section shall not preempt, and shall not be construed to preempt, any ordinance of a city of the metropolitan class.

Source

Laws 1963, c. 161, § 7, p. 573;
Laws 2010, LB712, § 14.
Operative Date: July 15, 2010

Cross References

Seizure of vehicle and component parts, see section 60-2608.

Annotations Property seized and held as evidence is to be safely kept by the officer seizing it unless otherwise directed by the court, and the officer is to exercise reasonable care and diligence for the safekeeping of the property. The property shall be kept so long as necessary for the purpose of being produced as evidence at trial. State v. Agee, 274 Neb. 445, 741 N.W.2d 161 (2007).
The court in which a criminal charge was filed has exclusive jurisdiction to determine the rights to seized property and the property's disposition. State v. Agee, 274 Neb. 445, 741 N.W.2d 161 (2007).
A police officer's failure to "safely" keep a seized vehicle can give rise to liability under the Political Subdivisions Tort Claims Act. Section 29-818 requires a police officer to exercise reasonable care and diligence for the safekeeping of property within his custody. Nash v. City of North Platte, 205 Neb. 480, 288 N.W.2d 51 (1980).
The trial court's decision on the return of seized property is reviewed for an abuse of discretion. State v. Maestas, 11 Neb. App. 262, 647 N.W.2d 122 (2002).