Can I sue for a vehicle that was sold without my permission?

[JaySmooth]

This all started when I went to jail last year and the owners of the house I was staying at had my car towed while I was locked up. My dad was notified by mail about my car being towed and he went and payed to get it for me. One of my now (used to be long time friends) works for another towing company in town and I also knew the owner of the company he works for said that he would tow and hold my car for me until I got out cuz it had an electrical issue that I needed to fix. Everything with that went fine until he needed space and asked me to get it after I was out which is fine. But I had a lot going on and it took a while to get it. So the owner of towing company filed for the title which he did get and then told me If I pay the 1500 title fee + 200 for the key that he would just give me the title since the bank was calling and asking about the car prior to the action date. I have screenshots of this exact conversation. Which this worked out great for me since the vehicle was financed and I still owed the lender 7k. The bank had already charged it off as bad debt so this worked out for me. My now ex friend who does work for the towing company said I could keep it at his house for as long as I need till I can figure things out. Unfortunately I ended up going back to jail this year. After I was arrested he had contacted my sister a few days after asking what to do with my car. He lied to me saying my sister said do whatever with it, which is untrue. I do have screenshots of the conversation. She said to contact my dad who he’s known for over 15+ years and ask him. She’s also provided the phone number just in case. Which I’m sure he already had. He also knows where my dad lives since the address has never changed. He never contacted my dad after saying in a text that he would and I can prove this with phone records from that time period. So about a month ago he decided to sell the vehicle without my knowledge or my family’s knowledge while I was in jail. The title was still in the towing company’s name since they applied for it and then sold it to me. I never transferred it in to my name because I didn’t have money for an insurance policy which I would have needed proof of when transferring the title. I had left the title with my so called friend in an open state and he must have signed it or had the owner of towing company sign it and transferred it to himself or jumped an open title to whoever he sold it to. I’m not sure how to go about this any legal advice would be great, thank you.

 

[quincy]

This all started when I went to jail last year and the owners of the house I was staying at had my car towed while I was locked up. My dad was notified by mail about my car being towed and he went and payed to get it for me. One of my now (used to be long time friends) works for another towing company in town and I also knew the owner of the company he works for said that he would tow and hold my car for me until I got out cuz it had an electrical issue that I needed to fix. Everything with that went fine until he needed space and asked me to get it after I was out which is fine. But I had a lot going on and it took a while to get it. So the owner of towing company filed for the title which he did get and then told me If I pay the 1500 title fee + 200 for the key that he would just give me the title since the bank was calling and asking about the car prior to the action date. I have screenshots of this exact conversation. Which this worked out great for me since the vehicle was financed and I still owed the lender 7k. The bank had already charged it off as bad debt so this worked out for me. My now ex friend who does work for the towing company said I could keep it at his house for as long as I need till I can figure things out. Unfortunately I ended up going back to jail this year. After I was arrested he had contacted my sister a few days after asking what to do with my car. He lied to me saying my sister said do whatever with it, which is untrue. I do have screenshots of the conversation. She said to contact my dad who he’s known for over 15+ years and ask him. She’s also provided the phone number just in case. Which I’m sure he already had. He also knows where my dad lives since the address has never changed. He never contacted my dad after saying in a text that he would and I can prove this with phone records from that time period. So about a month ago he decided to sell the vehicle without my knowledge or my family’s knowledge while I was in jail. The title was still in the towing company’s name since they applied for it and then sold it to me. I never transferred it in to my name because I didn’t have money for an insurance policy which I would have needed proof of when transferring the title. I had left the title with my so called friend in an open state and he must have signed it or had the owner of towing company sign it and transferred it to himself or jumped an open title to whoever he sold it to. I’m not sure how to go about this any legal advice would be great, thank you.

What is the name of your state?

 

[adjusterjack]

No, you have no case. Regardless of who said what to who, or what the excuses are, you effectively abandoned your car and it was legally sold.

By the way, a charge off is just an accounting thing. You still owe $7000 to the finance company.

 

[Just Blue]

This all started when I went to jail last year and the owners of the house I was staying at had my car towed while I was locked up. My dad was notified by mail about my car being towed and he went and payed to get it for me. One of my now (used to be long time friends) works for another towing company in town and I also knew the owner of the company he works for said that he would tow and hold my car for me until I got out cuz it had an electrical issue that I needed to fix. Everything with that went fine until he needed space and asked me to get it after I was out which is fine. But I had a lot going on and it took a while to get it. So the owner of towing company filed for the title which he did get and then told me If I pay the 1500 title fee + 200 for the key that he would just give me the title since the bank was calling and asking about the car prior to the action date. I have screenshots of this exact conversation. Which this worked out great for me since the vehicle was financed and I still owed the lender 7k. The bank had already charged it off as bad debt so this worked out for me. My now ex friend who does work for the towing company said I could keep it at his house for as long as I need till I can figure things out. Unfortunately I ended up going back to jail this year. After I was arrested he had contacted my sister a few days after asking what to do with my car. He lied to me saying my sister said do whatever with it, which is untrue. I do have screenshots of the conversation. She said to contact my dad who he’s known for over 15+ years and ask him. She’s also provided the phone number just in case. Which I’m sure he already had. He also knows where my dad lives since the address has never changed. He never contacted my dad after saying in a text that he would and I can prove this with phone records from that time period. So about a month ago he decided to sell the vehicle without my knowledge or my family’s knowledge while I was in jail. The title was still in the towing company’s name since they applied for it and then sold it to me. I never transferred it in to my name because I didn’t have money for an insurance policy which I would have needed proof of when transferring the title. I had left the title with my so called friend in an open state and he must have signed it or had the owner of towing company sign it and transferred it to himself or jumped an open title to whoever he sold it to. I’m not sure how to go about this any legal advice would be great, thank you.

what state?

 

[adjusterjack]

what state?

Not sure it matters much.

 

[Just Blue]

It might, Rabbit, it might.

 

[adjusterjack]

It might, Rabbit, it might.

"Oh my ears and whiskers, I'm late."

 

[Just Blue]

"Oh my ears and whiskers, I'm late."

For a very important date?

 

[Just Blue]

Wrong Rabbit BTW. Think Bugs rather than White.

 

[JaySmooth]

What is the name of your state?

Florida

 

[adjusterjack]

Wrong Rabbit BTW. Think Bugs rather than White.

Gotcha.

 

[quincy]

Florida

Thanks, Jay.

Following are links to the applicable laws.

Towing: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2012/0715.07

Notice:
https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2012/0715.106

Storage:
https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2012/0715.107

Sale:
https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2012/0715.109

I think you probably are out of luck if you are hoping to recover your car or any money you might have invested in it. You could always review facts with an attorney in your area, however.