Legal Question in Family Law in Missouri

Property dispute

I have a friend who is going through a property dispute with a newly ex-boyfriend. The boyfriend is stating that all the items he gave as gifts to her throughout the relationship she cannot take with her when moving out. However, he is also keeping her legal documents such as passport, divorce papers, title for her car, and other paperwork, and medicine also. She has a list of items that were given to her as gifts, and he made it very clear throughout the relationship to state to many individuals that they were gifts to her, but she was wondering if she has the legal rights to take these possessions from the trailor that they shared together.

It is my understanding that seeing as these items were given as gifts and not loaned to her that they are legally and rightfully hers, however, she is wanting to make certain of this in order to cause as little friction as possible.


Asked on 8/01/07, 4:53 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Michael R. Nack Michael R. Nack, Attorney at Law

Re: Property dispute

I am not exactly sure what your question is. I think that it is obvious that your friend owns whatever she owns. If something was a gift to her, it is hers, although the ex-boyfriend can always claim that there was no gift. Your friend should make a polite but firm demand for all of her possessions. It wouldn't hurt to put it in writing. Then, if the ex-boyfriend is not cooperative, I would suggest that your friend contact the local law enforcement authoriites and ask them to meet her at the trailer to keep the peace while she retrieves her possessions. As an absolute last resort, she could file a lawsuit and obtain a Court Order.

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Answered on 8/01/07, 11:58 pm


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