State v. $217,590.00 in United States Currency

This case involves the forfeiture of $217,590 allegedly derived from illegal drug trafficking. See TexCiiim. PROc.Code art. 59.01-.08 (the “civil forfeiture statute”). We must decide whether the claimant, Henry Perez Olvera, voluntarily consented to the search that revealed the money and the evidence linking it to criminal activity. In doing so, we decide the standard appellate courts must apply in civil forfeiture proceedings to review a trial court’s disposition of a motion to suppress evidence allegedly obtained as the result of an illegal search.1 We hold that whether a claimant…