Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Tennessee

Holding someone's property in lieu of alleged money owed.

I lived with a woman for about 3 months. I have a checking account in my name only. She would deposit her checks into my account, and we would pay rent, bills, ect from that account. While I was at work... she took one of my check cards, withdrew the daily maxiumum from an ATM ($400), altered a rent check I had written from $595 to $900 and deposited it into her checking account, changed the locks on the doors, and has kept all of my possesions alleging that I now owe her $3500 in money that she deposited into my account.

In short... can she hold my things even if I did owe her money?

and... can I submit legally that any money she deposits into my checking account then becomes soley my money?

PS Rough estimate of value of items I'm trying to retrieve... $2000.

Thank you.


Asked on 7/23/03, 6:54 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Marshall Snyder Law Office Of Marshall Snyder

Re: Holding someone's property in lieu of alleged money owed.

She cannot lock you out of the house. Your legal remedy to regain possession of the house is a suit for eviction against her. If only $2,000.00 is involved on all of the checking account matters you describe, you may want to offer her a $1,000.00 compromise settlement because it is going to cost you both a lot of money in legal fees to litigate the checking account matters.

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Answered on 7/23/03, 7:43 pm


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