The Florida Senate

849.41  Proceeding when claim filed.--When one or more claims are filed in the cause the cause shall be tried upon the issues made thereby with the petition for forfeiture with any affirmative defenses being deemed denied without further pleading. Judgment by default shall be entered against all other persons, firms and corporations owning, claiming or having an interest in and to the property seized, after which the cause shall proceed as in other common-law cases; except any claimant shall prove to the satisfaction of the court that he or she did not know or have any reason to believe, at the time his or her right, title, interest, or lien arose, that the property was being used for or in connection with the violation of any of the statutes or laws of this state prohibiting lotteries and gambling and further that at said time there was no reasonable reason to believe that the said property might be used for such purpose. Where the owner of the property has been convicted of a violation of the statutes and laws of this state prohibiting lotteries or gambling such conviction shall be prima facie evidence that each claimant had reason to believe that the property might be used for or in connection with a violation of such statutes and laws, and it shall be incumbent upon such claimant to satisfy the court that he or she was without knowledge of such conviction. Trial of all such causes shall be without a jury, except in such cases as a trial by jury may be guaranteed by the State Constitution and in such cases trial by jury shall be deemed waived unless demanded in the claim filed.

History.--s. 7, ch. 29712, 1955; s. 1382, ch. 97-102.