Tuesday's unanimous ruling by the high court puts Montana in line with most other states that have upheld jury trials in civil forfeiture proceedings.
"After consideration of both American and English common law, federal jurisprudence and decisions from our sister states ... we join the majority of states and federal courts and conclude that there is a right to trial by jury," Justice Laurie McKinnon wrote in the opinion.
Law enforcement officials can seize land, money and other assets if they can show probable cause that the property was used in illegal activity. Critics such as the ACLU have said it allows police to profit from crime.
