How do I get my property back from the police?

Frequently police seize property as part of an arrest or investigation. Once the seized property is evaluated it will either be held as evidence, subjected to forfeiture (that is, the State will keep it), or will be eligible for return to its owner. Obviously, illegal drugs or other contraband will not be returned. Sometimes police will hold onto personal property even after it has been evaluated and there is no basis for its continued seizure. This is most common with firearms. In such cases the owner of the property can file a petition with the court demanding the return of the wrongfully seized property.