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<section article="gcp" article_name="Criminal Procedure" number="4-206" title_number="4" title_name="Pretrial Procedures" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Venue and Other Procedural Matters">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Final disposition” means a dismissal, an entry of a nolle prosequi, the marking of a criminal charge “stet” on the docket, an entry of a not guilty verdict, the pronouncement of a sentence, or the imposition of probation under § 6–220 of this article.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Financial institution” has the meaning stated in § 1–101 of the Financial Institutions Article.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>“Freeze assets” means to prohibit a person from transferring the person’s money by placing the money under seal or removing the money to a place designated by a court.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>A State’s Attorney may file a petition to freeze assets of a defendant charged with violating § 8–801 of the Criminal Law Article with the circuit court of the county in which the defendant was charged if:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the petition is filed within 60 days of the defendant being charged with a violation of § 8–801 of the Criminal Law Article;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the alleged value of lost or stolen property in the criminal charge giving rise to the petition is $10,000 or more;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the amount of money subject to the petition does not exceed the alleged value of lost or stolen property in the criminal charge giving rise to the petition; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>the State’s Attorney sends a notice of intent to file a petition to each financial institution in possession of money subject to the petition.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A petition to freeze assets shall be served on the defendant in accordance with the Maryland Rules and include:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the name of the defendant;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the case number of the charge giving rise to the petition;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>a description of the money that is subject to the petition;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>if known or reasonably subject to discovery, the name of each financial institution in possession of any of the money; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>an oath or affirmation that the contents of the petition are true to the best of the State’s Attorney’s knowledge, information, and belief.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A petition to freeze assets shall be mailed to each financial institution in possession of money subject to the petition.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>A court may grant a petition to freeze assets and issue an order to freeze assets if the State’s Attorney proves by a preponderance of the evidence that:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the defendant has a legal, equitable, or possessory interest in the money listed in the petition; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the money listed in the petition is not jointly held unless the State’s Attorney also proves by a preponderance of the evidence that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the defendant transferred the defendant’s money to avoid being subject to an order to freeze assets; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the money listed in the petition was used in connection with a violation of § 8–801 of the Criminal Law Article.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The order to freeze assets shall be served on each financial institution in possession of money subject to the order.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The order shall be served in accordance with the Maryland Rules and include:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the name of the account holder;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the case number of the proceeding in which the court issued the order to freeze assets; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>a description of the money that is subject to the order to freeze assets.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>A financial institution is not obligated to restrict access to money described in a petition until:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>an order to freeze assets has been served on the financial institution; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the financial institution has had a reasonable opportunity to freeze the assets.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>An order to freeze assets shall remain in effect until the earlier of:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>a dismissal, an entry of a nolle prosequi, or an entry of a not guilty verdict for the criminal charge for the violation giving rise to the order;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the marking of the charge “stet” on the docket, the pronouncement of a sentence, or the imposition of probation under § 6–220 of this article for the criminal charge giving rise to the order, provided that the defendant has made full restitution if ordered by the court; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>1 year after the final disposition of the criminal charge for the violation giving rise to the order.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>On motion, the court may modify an order to freeze assets to allow the defendant to make restitution, to allow the victim to collect restitution, or for good cause.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <text>This section does not prohibit a financial institution from exercising rights under applicable law, including the right to set off mutual debts under common law.</text>
  </level>
</section>
