(1) A law enforcement officer shall seize a large carnivore pursuant to an order of seizure issued by the court having jurisdiction over the large carnivore upon a showing of probable cause that the large carnivore is subject to forfeiture under section 16(1).
  (2) A large carnivore subject to forfeiture under section 16(1) may be seized under any of the following circumstances:

Terms Used In Michigan Laws 287.1117

  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Large carnivore: means either of the following:
  (i) Any of the following cats of the Felidae family, whether wild or captive bred, including a hybrid cross with such a cat:
  (A) A lion. See Michigan Laws 287.1102
  • Law enforcement officer: means :
    •   (i) A sheriff or sheriff's deputy. See Michigan Laws 287.1102
  • Person: means an individual, partnership, corporation, association, governmental entity, or other legal entity. See Michigan Laws 287.1102
  • Personal property: All property that is not real property.
  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories belonging to the United States; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the district and territories. See Michigan Laws 8.3o
    •   (a) The seizure is incident to a lawful arrest for a violation of this act.
      (b) The seizure is pursuant to a valid search warrant.
      (c) The seizure is pursuant to an inspection under a valid administrative inspection warrant.
      (d) There is probable cause to believe that the conditions under which the large carnivore or any other large carnivore owned by the same person is kept are directly or indirectly dangerous to human or animal health or safety.
      (e) Exigent circumstances exist that preclude obtaining a court order, and there is probable cause to believe that this act has been violated.
      (f) The large carnivore or any other large carnivore owned by the same person is the subject of a prior judgment in favor of this state in a forfeiture proceeding.
      (3) If a seizure is to be accomplished by capture, tranquilization or other humane methods shall be used for the capture.
      (4) A large carnivore seized under this act is not subject to any other action to recover personal property, but is considered to be in the custody of the seizing agency subject only to subsection (5) and section 18 and 19, or to an order and judgment of the court having jurisdiction over the forfeiture proceedings. When a large carnivore is seized under this act, the law enforcement officer may remove the large carnivore to a place designated by the court.
      (5) A large carnivore that belongs to the victim of a crime shall promptly be returned to the victim, except in the following circumstances:
      (a) When the crime victim last possessed the large carnivore, he or she was in violation of section 4.
      (b) If the ownership of the large carnivore is disputed, until the dispute is resolved.
      (c) If the property is required to be retained as evidence pursuant to section 4(4) of the crime victim’s rights act, 1985 PA 87, MCL 780.754.
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