2868                                         LAWS OF MARYLAND                                    Ch. 549

3. TO PAYMENT OF ALL OTHER EXPENSES OF
THE PROCEEDINGS FOR FORFEITURE, INCLUDING EXPENSES OF SEIZURE, OR
MAINTENANCE OF CUSTODY; AND

4. TO THE GENERAL FUNDS OF THE STATE OR
THE POLITICAL SUBDIVISION THAT SEIZED THE MOTOR VEHICLE.

(K) ANY SUMS REALIZED ON ANY BOND POSTED TO REGAIN
POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE SHALL BE APPLIED AS PROVIDED FOR
PROCEEDS OF SALE UNDER SUBSECTION (J)(2)(IV) OF THIS SECTION.

[(j) If the State's attorney determines that the vehicle
should be forfeited to the State, he shall petition the circuit
court of the appropriate subdivision in the name of the State of
Maryland against the motor vehicle as designated by make, model,
year, and motor or serial number. The petition shall allege the
seizure and set forth in general terms the causes or grounds of
forfeiture. It shall also pray that the motor vehicle be
condemned as forfeited to the State and disposed of according to
law. ]

[(k) If the owner or owners of the vehicle are unknown or
cannot be found, notice of the seizure and intended forfeiture
proceedings shall be made by publication in one or more
newspapers published in the county in which the action is brought
if there be one so published, and if not, in a newspaper having a
substantial circulation in said county. In Baltimore City the
notice shall be published in one or more of the daily newspapers
published in the city. The notice shall state the substance and
object of the original petition and give notice of the intended
forfeiture proceedings.]

[(1) Within 30 days after service of the notice of seizure
and intended forfeiture proceedings or within 30 days after the
date of publication, the owner of the motor vehicle seized may
file an answer under oath to the petition.]

[(m) If the owner of the seized motor vehicle desires to
obtain possession thereof before the hearing on the petition
filed against the vehicle, the clerk of the court where the
petition is filed shall have an appraisal made by the sheriff of
the county or city in which the court is located. The sheriff
shall promptly inspect and render an appraisal of the value of
the vehicle and return the appraisal, in writing, under oath, to
the clerk of the court in which the proceedings are pending.
Upon the filing of the appraisal, the owner may give bond payable
to the State of Maryland, in an amount equal to the appraised
value of the vehicle plus court costs which may accrue, with
security to be approved by the clerk, and conditioned for
performance on the final judgment of the court after the hearing
on the petition, the court directs that the motor vehicle or such
interest or equity as the owner may have therein, be forfeited,
judgment may thereupon be entered against the obligors on the
bond for the penalty thereof, without further or other