Any agreement to exempt an asset from forfeiture so that it can be transferred to an attorney as fees must be approved by the Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division. See JM 9-119.010 and JM Chapter 9-120.000. See also Chapter 11 of the Asset Forfeiture Policy Manual ("Agreements to Exempt Attorneys' Fees from Forfeiture and Payment of Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA) Fees").

[updated May 2010]