seizable

Seizable is an adjective meaning capable of being seized, taken, or confiscated by lawful authority or force. In everyday use it typically describes property or assets that may be seized to satisfy penalties, judgments, or criminal investigations, as well as items that authorities may seize on the street or at borders.

In a legal context, seizable assets are property that may be taken under a warrant, court order, or forfeiture statute. Common examples include cash, bank accounts, vehicles, and real estate connected to illegal activity or to debt. Some jurisdictions provide exemptions that protect essential property or income up to certain limits.

Seizure is the action of taking possession. Whether property is seizable depends on applicable law and due process requirements; seizures typically require authority, probable cause, and a procedural basis. Protections may limit seizure of certain items, deny seizure without sufficient basis, or provide remedies for wrongful seizures. Civil asset forfeiture and criminal forfeiture are mechanisms used to obtain ownership of seized assets in some systems.

Origin and usage notes: seizable derives from seize plus the suffix -able, from Old French saisir, ultimately from Latin capere. The term is mostly used in legal and administrative contexts.