In Texas asset forfeiture proceedings, after notice is given, the owner may contest the forfeiture by filing a claim and requesting a hearing.

• A. The owner must wait for a grand jury indictment
• B. The owner may contest by filing a claim and requesting a hearing
• C. The forfeiture order cannot be challenged
• D. The owner must file a civil suit in a different court

Answer: (B)

In Texas civil asset forfeiture, the right way to challenge a forfeiture after notice is for the owner to file a claim and request a hearing. This mechanism puts the owner into the forfeiture proceeding, allowing them to assert their ownership or interest in the property and to have the matter heard where the government must prove the grounds for forfeiture. The hearing provides due process, giving the owner a fair opportunity to present evidence and challenge the government's allegations. Grand jury indictments are criminal tools and don’t govern civil forfeiture actions, so waiting for one is not the procedure here. The forfeiture order is not beyond challenge—claims and a subsequent hearing are the proper route to contest it, rather than filing a separate civil suit in a different court.