Civil forfeiture allows the government (typically the police) to seize — and then keep or sell — any property that is allegedly involved in a crime or illegal activity.

Such a proceeding is conducted in rem, or against the property itself, rather than in personam, or against the owner of the property. For this reason, civil forfeiture case names often appear strange, such as United States v. Eight Rhodesian Stone Statues because the property is the defendant.