Medlock v. 1985 Ford F-150 Pick Up Vin 1FTDF15YGFNA22049

Harwell, Chief Justice:

We are presented with the question of whether an owner of property subject to forfeiture pursuant to S.C. Code Ann. §§ 44-53-520 and -530 (Supp. 1991)1 is entitled to a jury trial. The forfeiture judge held that the owner of the property sub*70ject to forfeiture in this action, Robert Earl Childers, was not entitled to a jury trial. We reverse.

I. FACTS

Childers was convicted in January 1990 for conspiracy to traffic in illegal narcotics. A forfeiture hearing was held in circuit court in December 1990 to confirm the forfeiture of certain property, designated above as…