Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Maryland
I dated a man for 9 years we lived together for 5 years. We purchased a car and used the loan from his credit union he had the better rate. We had a verbal agreement that the car was for me. I purchased the car from a friend of mine as it was his intent to sell to me. I paid every payment through my payroll deduction to my x-boyfriends account. I paid all of the transfer taxes and the insurance every year. There is now one payment left and I receive a letter from him telling me that if I do not turn the car over in 3 days he will report the car stolen and that it is with me. What can I do?
1 Answer from Attorneys
I assume your name is not on the title, which was not a wise decision on your part. Notwithstanding, I doubt the police will treat this as a criminal matter, since you should be able to document what you laid out above. I would inform him, preferably through an attorney, that if he proceeds with his plan and it results in a criminal charge, you will sue him for malicious prosecution following a favorable outcome, even though it's unlikely that there would be any such prosecution. As for as getting ownership of the vehicle, you will probably have to file a lawsuit to establish your legal rights in the vehicle.