Lefoglal

Lefoglal is a Hungarian verb meaning to seize, confiscate, or place under seizure, typically by state authorities in criminal investigations or administrative procedures. It denotes taking control of property or assets to secure evidence, preserve assets for future proceedings, or prevent dissipation during enforcement actions. The noun form is lefoglalás, and the related term lefoglalt describes seized property.

In practice, lefoglal can apply to various assets, including cash, bank accounts, movable property (such as vehicles or equipment), real estate, and documents. There are two main variants: ideiglenes lefoglalás (temporary or provisional seizure) and a more lasting form that may lead to elkobzás or confiscation following a court decision. The choice depends on the legal context, urgency, and the risk of asset disposal.

Procedure and safeguards: The measure generally requires a legal basis such as a court order or prosecutor’s authorization, and affected parties can challenge the decision or apply for release if the conditions no longer apply. Lefoglal is commonly used in criminal cases (for example, fraud or money laundering), tax enforcement, and administrative penalties to ensure effective proceedings and to secure potential penalties.

Relation to related concepts: Lefoglalás is often distinguished from elkobzás, which implies permanent confiscation after a judgment. The terms are used in national legal texts and administrative procedures to describe different stages of asset control during enforcement.