People v. $9,290 in United States Currency

The State appeals from the circuit court’s order dismissing its forfeiture complaint on the motion of the claimant, Sierra Morris. The State contends that the motion to dismiss was not accompanied by an affidavit and that the claimant thus failed to establish her ownership interest in the property the State sought to forfeit. We affirm.

In September 2004, the State served a notice of forfeiture on Lonnie Morris, seeking to forfeit the contents of a safe deposit box that Morris had rented. When Morris did not appear, the property was administratively forfeited. On September 1, 2005, the…