Mississippi Code
Chapter 27 - Proceedings for Intoxicating Beverage Offenses
§ 99-27-13. Owner may interpose claim to seized property; jurisdiction and procedure

If any person claims the intoxicating liquors seized on any of the appliances either for handling, making, possessing, or transporting which have been seized, he may put in his claim therefor under oath stating in detail why said property, or any of it so seized, should not be destroyed, or sold for the benefit of the county, and said affidavit shall state the market value of the property so claimed by him, which amount as so fixed shall determine the jurisdiction of the court as to the amount involved or the value of the property. If the affidavit fixes the value of the property at $200.00 or less and the proceeding is returnable before a justice of the peace otherwise having jurisdiction, the said justice of the peace shall finally dispose of the issue in the case joined under his direction. But if the affidavit fixes the value of the property at more than $200.00 the justice of the peace before whom the case is returnable shall forthwith transfer said cause to the circuit court of the county having jurisdiction to try the case, where the issues shall, under the direction of the circuit court, be joined between the State of Mississippi and the said claimant, and the case there tried as other cases. But if the affidavit of the officer in the first instance shows that the value of the property does not exceed $200.00 and no claim is interposed by the parties in interest, on or before the return day of the summons and writ of seizure, the justice of the peace on the return day shall hear and dispose of the property, and may order all liquors, stills or integral parts thereof and all other unlawful articles to be destroyed, and may condemn all vehicles of transportation to be sold and the proceeds, after deducting the costs, paid into the county treasury to the credit of the general county fund. In the event the property is claimed by parties interested and issues joined in any court having jurisdiction of the case, such court trying the case shall have the rights of the state and the claimant determined in a trial according to the rules of procedure in such court, and if it be determined that any property involved in such trial was kept, possessed, manufactured, or used in violation of any provision of Chapter 31 of Title 97, Mississippi Code of 1972 or this chapter it shall be ordered destroyed and rendered useless for unlawful use, but all vehicles, boats and other means of transportation used in transporting articles in violation of said chapters shall be condemned to be sold and the proceeds from such sale, after paying the costs of the courts, shall be placed in the county treasury to the credit of the general county fund.
But in all such trials and proceedings as provided for in this section the claimant may, before he shall file his claim, be required to execute a solvent bond in sufficient amount to cover all costs that may likely accrue, conditioned that he will pay all costs in the case that may be adjudged against him, and in the event the claimant fails to establish his claim, or any part of it to said articles, he may be taxed with all, or any part of the costs of the case, and judgment shall go against his sureties for all costs adjudged against him.

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