Conversion in Maryland
In Maryland, Conversion is an intentional tort which covers the “wrongful exercise of dominion by one person over the personal property of another.” (Lawson v. Commonwealth Land Title Ins. Co.). The tort of Conversion in Maryland is a civil cause of action which can be claimed in a lawsuit which is distinguishable from theft, breach of contract, and unjust enrichment. When one party wrongfully takes or controls the personal property of another party, that wrongfully-taking party can be legally liable to the rightful owner of the property for the civil tort of Conversion in Maryland. In Maryland, “the act of ownership for conversion can occur either by initially acquiring the property or by retaining it longer than the rightful possessor permits.” (Lasater v. Guttmann).
The Maryland Court of Appeals and Court of Special Appeals have issue many decisions regarding conversion lawsuits which guide Maryland courts in their deciding whether a party has converted the property of another party. In one example, while the Court of Appeals has ruled that generally money cannot be the subject of a conversion claim, the Maryland Appellate Courts have outlined certain exceptions which would permit a Maryland court to find that money to be converted. And according to the Court of Appeals, Conversion in Maryland must include “a physical act combined with a certain state of mind.” (Lasater v. Guttmann). The tort of Conversion is often included in complex commercial litigation and contract disputes in Maryland lawsuits.
Longman & Van Grack’s contract lawyers and commercial litigation attorneys in our firm’s Rockville Office and Bethesda Office have experience in all types of conversion lawsuits and financial disputes throughout Maryland (including Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, Frederick County, and Howard County). Longman & Van Grack’s commercial litigation attorneys’ main goals are to amicably resolve your legal dispute as efficiently as possible. For this reason, our commercial litigation attorneys will work to resolve your legal conversion lawsuit or financial disputes prior to an actual trial. Our commercial litigation attorneys always encourage resolving all types of legal disputes through ARD (alternative dispute resolution, such as mediation and settlement). However, our litigation attorneys possess the experience to litigate conversion lawsuits or other litigation disputes at trial in Maryland Circuit Court (such as Montgomery County Circuit Court in Rockville) or Maryland District Court.
If you would like to speak to a Maryland commercial litigation attorney about a legal dispute involving conversion or any other commercial lawsuit, Adam Van Grack and our firm’s litigation attorneys will thoroughly review your legal dispute and determine what the respective parties’ liability is. Contact Adam or our other commercial litigation attorneys at (301) 291-5027 for a conversion or legal dispute consultation at one our Maryland Offices in Rockville (North Washington Street) or Bethesda (Motor City Drive).
In Maryland, Conversion is an intentional tort which covers the “wrongful exercise of dominion by one person over the personal property of another.” (Lawson v. Commonwealth Land Title Ins. Co.). The tort of Conversion in Maryland is a civil cause of action which can be claimed in a lawsuit which is distinguishable from theft, breach of contract, and unjust enrichment. When one party wrongfully takes or controls the personal property of another party, that wrongfully-taking party can be legally liable to the rightful owner of the property for the civil tort of Conversion in Maryland. In Maryland, “the act of ownership for conversion can occur either by initially acquiring the property or by retaining it longer than the rightful possessor permits.” (Lasater v. Guttmann).
The Maryland Court of Appeals and Court of Special Appeals have issue many decisions regarding conversion lawsuits which guide Maryland courts in their deciding whether a party has converted the property of another party. In one example, while the Court of Appeals has ruled that generally money cannot be the subject of a conversion claim, the Maryland Appellate Courts have outlined certain exceptions which would permit a Maryland court to find that money to be converted. And according to the Court of Appeals, Conversion in Maryland must include “a physical act combined with a certain state of mind.” (Lasater v. Guttmann). The tort of Conversion is often included in complex commercial litigation and contract disputes in Maryland lawsuits.
Longman & Van Grack’s contract lawyers and commercial litigation attorneys in our firm’s Rockville Office and Bethesda Office have experience in all types of conversion lawsuits and financial disputes throughout Maryland (including Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, Frederick County, and Howard County). Longman & Van Grack’s commercial litigation attorneys’ main goals are to amicably resolve your legal dispute as efficiently as possible. For this reason, our commercial litigation attorneys will work to resolve your legal conversion lawsuit or financial disputes prior to an actual trial. Our commercial litigation attorneys always encourage resolving all types of legal disputes through ARD (alternative dispute resolution, such as mediation and settlement). However, our litigation attorneys possess the experience to litigate conversion lawsuits or other litigation disputes at trial in Maryland Circuit Court (such as Montgomery County Circuit Court in Rockville) or Maryland District Court.
If you would like to speak to a Maryland contract attorney or commercial litigation attorney about a legal dispute involving conversion or any other commercial lawsuit, Adam Van Grack and our firm’s litigation attorneys will thoroughly review your legal dispute and determine what the respective parties’ liability is. Contact Adam or our other commercial litigation attorneys at (301) 291-5027 for a conversion or legal dispute consultation at one our Maryland Offices in Rockville (North Washington Street) or Bethesda (Motor City Drive).
