Cite as: 507 U. S. 111 (1993)
Opinion of Stevens, J.
Therefore, when Congress enacted this innocent owner defense, and then specifically inserted this relation back provision into the statute, it did not disturb the common-law rights of either owners of forfeitable property or the Government. The common-law rule had always allowed owners to invoke defenses made available to them before the Government's title vested, and after title did vest, the common-law rule had always related that title back to the date of the commission of the act that made the specific property forfeitable. Our decision denies the Government no benefits of the relation back doctrine. The Government cannot profit from the common-law doctrine of relation back until it has obtained a judgment of forfeiture. And it cannot profit from the statutory version of that doctrine in § 881(h) until respondent has had the chance to invoke and offer evidence to support the innocent owner defense under § 881(a)(6).
V
As a postscript we identify two issues that the parties have addressed, but that need not be decided.
The Government has argued that the Court of Appeals' construction of the statute is highly implausible because it would enable a transferee of the proceeds of an illegal exchange to qualify as an innocent owner if she was unaware of the illegal transaction when it occurred but learned about it before she accepted the forfeitable proceeds. Respondent disputes this reading of the statute and argues that both legislative history and common sense suggest that the transferee's lack of knowledge must be established as of the time the proceeds at issue are transferred.24 Moreover, whether
United States, 364 U. S. 40, 49 (1960)." Calero-Toledo v. Pearson Yacht Leasing Co., 416 U. S., at 689-690 (footnote omitted).
24 See Brief for Respondent 31-32, 37-38; Tr. of Oral Arg. 38. The several amici make the same point, see Brief for American Bankers Association as Amicus Curiae 15; Brief for Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corpo-
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