State May Ban Waiver Used To Take Property

Wyoming Lawmakers Line Up Against Police Waiver Used To Take $92,000 At Traffic Stop

When Wyoming police took Phil Parhamovich’s life savings at a single traffic stop, he had to wait months for the state to return it. Now, Wyoming lawmakers are looking to ban the waiver used to take it in the first place.

Known as a “release of interest in property or currency” form, the waivers allow citizens to transfer ownership of property to the state. Once signed, a citizen forfeits his right to contest the transfer later. When Parhamovich signed one of these forms at an unfortunate traffic stop in March, he gave $91,800 cash to police, but only after an officer supposedly implied that carrying such a large amount of cash was illegal. While a judge ordered the state to return the money Friday, the waivers have already drawn the gaze of state lawmakers.

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