The issue focused on another request that law enforcement agencies make to federal courts: court-ordered medical marijuana laws. Law enforcement officials said they had no legal basis for using civil asset forfeiture laws to seize money and property from people who were allegedly involved in criminal activity.

[They're chasing cash, guns, drugs and illegal immigrants with $9 million federal drug raid]

In the Virginia case, Justice Department lawyers argued that state law permitted law enforcement to take civil assets if there was evidence of criminal conduct.