Art. 47.01a. RESTORATION WHEN NO TRIAL IS PENDING.  (a)  If a criminal action relating to allegedly stolen property is not pending, a district judge, county court judge, statutory county court judge, or justice of the peace having jurisdiction as a magistrate in the county in which the property is held or in which the property was alleged to have been stolen or a municipal judge having jurisdiction as a magistrate in the municipality in which the property is being held or in which the property was alleged to have been stolen may hold a hearing to determine the right to possession of the property, upon the petition of an interested person, a county, a city, or the state.  Jurisdiction under this article is based solely on jurisdiction as a criminal magistrate under this code and not jurisdiction as a civil court.  The court shall:
(1)  order the property delivered to whoever has the superior right to possession, without conditions;
(2)  on the filing of a written motion before trial by an attorney representing the state, order the property delivered to whoever has the superior right to possession, subject to the condition that the property be made available to the prosecuting authority should it be needed in future prosecutions; or
(3)  order the property awarded to the custody of the peace officer, pending resolution of criminal investigations regarding the property.
(b) If it is shown in a hearing that probable cause exists to believe that the property was acquired by theft or by another manner that makes its acquisition an offense and that the identity of the actual owner of the property cannot be determined, the court shall order the peace officer to:
(1) deliver the property to a government agency for official purposes;
(2) deliver the property to a person authorized by Article 18.17 of this code to receive and dispose of the property;  or
(3) destroy the property.
(c) At a hearing under Subsection (a) of this article, any interested person may present evidence showing that the property was not acquired by theft or another offense or that the person is entitled to possess the property.  At the hearing, hearsay evidence is admissible.
(d)  Venue for a hearing under this article is in any justice, county, statutory county, or district court in the county in which the property is seized or in which the property was alleged to have been stolen or in any municipal court in any municipality in which the property is seized or in which the property was alleged to have been stolen, except that the court may transfer venue to a court in another county on the motion of any interested party.
(e)  The person who has the superior right to possession of the property, as determined in a hearing under Subsection (a), is responsible for any transportation necessary to deliver the property to the person as ordered under that subsection.
Added by Acts 1977, 65th Leg., p. 2034, ch. 813, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 29, 1977.
Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 548, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 31, 1987;  Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 860, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 30, 1993;  Subsec. (a) amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 184, Sec. 3, eff. May 23, 1995.
Amended by: 
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 565 (S.B. 631), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2017.