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Can I press Criminal charges on car title with 2 names on it?

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CorneredClassic

Junior Member
Hello, I'm living in Florida and my brother lives in Maryland. We both own the title to a car registered in Maryland but I drove it in Florida. We had a complicated 'deal' were I paid him insurance and I paid the Bank for the car loan separately.

Yesterday, I woke to find my car was missing. I found out my brother took it w/o a word or anything. He just FELT like it said it was HIS car. We're both on title. I've read somewhere if listed on tittle as his "and" my name than he can't do anything with car without my consent and if it says "or" instead of "and" then he can do as he pleases. Is this true?

I'd like to press Criminal charges and so would the family I'm staying with. I was homeless and moved in with my boyfriend and their family. They'd like to press trespassing charges as well as theft. We just put brand new front tires on that car and my boyfriend's stuff was in it.

Can I press criminal charges against my brother if the title says "and" on it? Can my boyfriend's family press charges? Can they press them without me pressing charges?

Is it worth pressing charges against him? I don't know what risks I'm looking at here. I'm sure if he gets convicted, I'll have to go GET the car back somehow from 5 states away.

Thank you for your time.
 
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FlyingRon

Senior Member
You read wrong. The "and" only applies to him selling it. As far as using it, if his name is on the title at all, he's an owner and has as much right to it as you.
There's no criminal "theft" here. Trespassing would be hard to press. Absent any signing or notice being given to him that he was not welcome on the property, him showing up and taking the car isn't a criminal trespass.

There is slim chance he'd be charged and no chance in hell he'd be convicted.
 

Antigone*

Senior Member
Hello, I'm living in Florida and my brother lives in Maryland. We both own the title to a car registered in Maryland but I drove it in Florida. We had a complicated 'deal' were I paid him insurance and I paid the Bank for the car loan separately.

Yesterday, I woke to find my car was missing. I found out my brother took it w/o a word or anything. He just FELT like it said it was HIS car. We're both on title. I've read somewhere if listed on tittle as his "and" my name than he can't do anything with car without my consent and if it says "or" instead of "and" then he can do as he pleases. Is this true?

I'd like to press Criminal charges and so would the family I'm staying with. I was homeless and moved in with my boyfriend and their family. They'd like to press trespassing charges as well as theft. We just put brand new front tires on that car and my boyfriend's stuff was in it.

Can I press criminal charges against my brother if the title says "and" on it? Can my boyfriend's family press charges? Can they press them without me pressing charges?

Is it worth pressing charges against him? I don't know what risks I'm looking at here. I'm sure if he gets convicted, I'll have to go GET the car back somehow from 5 states away.

Thank you for your time.
No, you cannot "press charges" for your brother taking possession of his own vehicle.

Ask him to please send your boyfriends stuff back.
 

CorneredClassic

Junior Member
Thank you very much for prompt responses.

He actually just sent me the tracking numbers for the stuff (I hope)

Your clarification was exactly what I was looking for.

Thank you so very very much. :eek:
 

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