Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Missouri

Re: locks changed

File a counterclaim for conversion. The landlord is depriving you of your goods. An answer and counterclaim are not required in Associate Circuit Court, but can still be filed. In an answer you deny everything by saying:

Defendant denies paragraph 1.

Defendant denies paragraph 2.... and so on.

In the counterclaim you say:

1. You rented the house.

2. Your stuff was in the house.

3. You had not been legally evicted.

4. the landlord changed the locks with your personal property inside.

5. You have been refused access to the property to replevin your goods.

6. You ask for damages in the amount of $x (I'd do something like between $100 and $500 here) for the deprivation of your goods.

7. You ask for an order requiring the landlord provide you access to replevin your goods.

WHEREFORE, the plaintiff landlord being liable for the detention of your property you request the court to enter an order awarding you $X and for an order permitting you 4 days in which to finish moving your goods out of the apartment.

You must file this in the court where the action is on file, not small claims court. You'd do better to get a lawyer to handle the matter for you. You have to send a copy to the landlord or his attorney (look on Casenet for the address). You have to show up for Court on May 1 and bring your counterclaim to the attention of the judge who will provide you with an order to get your stuff even if she or he doesn't rule in your favor on the counterclaim.

Good luck.