Edward M Burch

Specialties

Criminal defense specializing in civil asset forfeiture (cases involving the seizure of property by law enforcement who believe the property is related to crime — usually illegal drug sales — including cash, vehicles, and real property).

Both California and Federal statutes allow law enforcement to seize cash and other valuables on the grounds that the property is connected to crimes such as drug trafficking. These drug asset forfeiture laws are based on the «legal fiction» that the property is guilty of wronging society, and permit the government to sue the property as defendant in civil court.

As owner or possessor of the property, one is considered a third party to these civil forfeiture actions, who is voluntarily in court. These «claimants» are afforded less rights and protections than a traditional criminal defendant. My office effectively represents claimants and aggressively opposes these forfeiture actions to get your property back.

History

Established in 2007.

Edward is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Law Legal Committee (NORML)

Edward practices in all Bay Area counties, including but not limited to: San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Marin, Mendocino, Santa Cruz and Sonoma counties.

He is admitted/​has appeared in the following federal courts:

Central District of California

Northern District of California

Eastern District of California

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

Northern District of Georgia

Meet the Business Owner

Edward B.

Business Owner

Edward Burch is an Albuquerque, NM native. He earned a B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley in 2000 and earned his JD back in New Mexico in 2006, before succumbing to the siren call of San Francisco. You will often see him playing with his rock band at venues around the city, or enjoying a pint with friends in the mission.