Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Illinois

stolen property
my father is currently going through a divorce, this woman is not my mother, i am twenty years old and since they have separated she has been holding my dog. i am the sole owner of the dog, yet i was told by the police that this matter needs to be settled in divorce court if i want my dog back. the problem i have is that i am not divorcing her, it is not my fathers property so how would i go about getting my dog back? i have a case report from the police saying she is withholding my personal property, but she claims that the dog was given to her as a gift from my father when they married. i have the papers to prove i am the owner and also i have had the dog since i was seventeen years old, a whole two years before they even married. any advice would be helpful, thanks.

Asked on 4/16/07, 11:55 am

2 Answers from Attorneys

Noelle Ansley Noelle Ansley

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Re: stolen property

Call the police, explain she has your dog, you have proof it is your dog, and you want your dog back. That's probably the most direct way to get this taken care of. Otherwise, you can file your own civil action against her in which you get the court to make a determination as to who gets the dog. That will take a lot longer and cost a lot more money. Try the cops first.

Answered on 4/16/07, 12:18 pm

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