Florida legal term
Adversarial preliminary hearing in Florida Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Florida legislative session
In Florida criminal law, “Adversarial preliminary hearing” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the Florida criminal code.
What does “Adversarial preliminary hearing” mean in Florida criminal law?
“Adversarial preliminary hearing” means a hearing in which the seizing agency is required to establish probable cause that the property subject to forfeiture was used in violation of the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act.(g) “Forfeiture proceeding” means a hearing or trial in which the court or jury determines whether the subject property shall be forfeited.(h) “Claimant” means any party who has proprietary interest in property subject to forfeiture and has standing to challenge such forfeiture, including owners, registered owners, bona fide lienholders, and titleholders. (Fla. Stat. § 932.701)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.