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Lien on vehicle for unpaid child support

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3

300SD90

Junior Member
INDIANA

Hi everyone,

My uncle received a DUI in 2005. He was advised to transfer his vehicles into someone else's name until everything cleared (I don't know why). Long story short, he transferred the title to someone that was living with him at the time. He thought he could trust him. When my uncle tried to put the car back into his name, a lien had been placed on the title for unpaid child support, which his "friend" hasn't paid for years. A Federal Marshal came looking for him and told my uncle he would get his title back. He just wants the vehicle out of his garage and said that I may have it if I wish.

The car is only worth a couple thousand dollars, if that. I have tried contacting the person that the car is now registered in with no luck. He has been on the run for several years and has a warrant out for his arrest. He could be dead for all I know!

I have been trying to get this title cleared for the past few years now, and can't seem to find a solution. I contacted the child support agency and they said that he would need to call them to negotiate a price to take the lien off. First of all, I can't contact him and second, he owe's around $50,000, and I'm guessing they would want more than what the car is even worth, but they wouldn't tell me anything.

Another question I have is why hasn't the state just repo'd the car? It has been sitting in the same spot since November of 2005 when the title was transferred.

ANY help would be appreciated, because I have just been running around in circles for the past few years trying to title this vehicle.

Thank you!
 


M

mistoffolees

Senior Member
300SD90 said:
INDIANA

Hi everyone,

My uncle received a DUI in 2005. He was advised to transfer his vehicles into someone else's name until everything cleared (I don't know why). Long story short, he transferred the title to someone that was living with him at the time. He thought he could trust him. When my uncle tried to put the car back into his name, a lien had been placed on the title for unpaid child support, which his "friend" hasn't paid for years. A Federal Marshal came looking for him and told my uncle he would get his title back. He just wants the vehicle out of his garage and said that I may have it if I wish.

The car is only worth a couple thousand dollars, if that. I have tried contacting the person that the car is now registered in with no luck. He has been on the run for several years and has a warrant out for his arrest. He could be dead for all I know!

I have been trying to get this title cleared for the past few years now, and can't seem to find a solution. I contacted the child support agency and they said that he would need to call them to negotiate a price to take the lien off. First of all, I can't contact him and second, he owe's around $50,000, and I'm guessing they would want more than what the car is even worth, but they wouldn't tell me anything.

Another question I have is why hasn't the state just repo'd the car? It has been sitting in the same spot since November of 2005 when the title was transferred.

ANY help would be appreciated, because I have just been running around in circles for the past few years trying to title this vehicle.

Thank you!
Click to expand...
Frankly, it is unlikely that you're going to be able to title the car without spending more than it's worth. Get a different car.
 
justalayman

justalayman

Senior Member
Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.

There are very few reasons to take the title out of Unc's name and every one I can think of is based in fraud.

The car is a lost cause. There is no "clearing up the problem" because there is no problem. The other guy owns the car and since there is a lien on it for child support, it isn't going to be released to unc or you.

You need to give the guy his car back. Neither you nor unc own it and have no right to possess it.
 
3

300SD90

Junior Member
justalayman said:
Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.

There are very few reasons to take the title out of Unc's name and every one I can think of is based in fraud.

The car is a lost cause. There is no "clearing up the problem" because there is no problem. The other guy owns the car and since there is a lien on it for child support, it isn't going to be released to unc or you.

You need to give the guy his car back. Neither you nor unc own it and have no right to possess it.
Click to expand...
Ha, well it's definitely not fraud. He has proof of purchase and everything in between. The guy doesn't even want the car. LEGALLY the car is now his, but it's rightfully my uncle's. He's ready to call the state and have them take it because he's sick of it being in his garage. It's an 81 Mercedes 300SD and I would have liked to take a shot at owning it before the state takes it and scraps it.
 
justalayman

justalayman

Senior Member
300SD90;2988902]Ha, well it's definitely not fraud. He has proof of purchase and everything in between.
Click to expand...
It has nothing to do with unc's ownership. It has to do with unc's DUI.


The guy doesn't even want the car. LEGALLY the car is now his, but it's rightfully my uncle's.
Click to expand...
what guy doesn't want the car? You said the guy whose name unc transferred it to cannot be found.
If you are talking about the guy who owns the garage, all he has to do is call the police and report an abandoned vehicle. The cops will take it from there.
 
M

mistoffolees

Senior Member
300SD90 said:
Ha, well it's definitely not fraud. He has proof of purchase and everything in between. The guy doesn't even want the car. LEGALLY the car is now his, but it's rightfully my uncle's. He's ready to call the state and have them take it because he's sick of it being in his garage. It's an 81 Mercedes 300SD and I would have liked to take a shot at owning it before the state takes it and scraps it.
Click to expand...
No, it's rightfully the state's car.

Your uncle transferred the vehicle to someone else's name to avoid some kind of negative consequences (I'm not sure what that would be, but he made a voluntary choice to transfer the title so he must have had a reason). At that point, the car belonged to someone else. That person chose not to pay child support for years so the state has the right to seize the car.

Now, if you really want the car, you could contact the appropriate authorities (which would include the child support enforcement agency, DOT, and others) and offer to buy the car for its current value. However, getting through all the legalities and transferring the title would add a hefty chunk to the price. You would almost certainly be better off to just go buy a different car.
 
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