Q: I live in Ohio. Found misc property on road. No owner identifying info. Can I keep?
Not money or a phone. Googled it and value is around $300
A:
In Ohio, so long as you cannot reasonably find the owner of said property AND you did not find it on a private road, it sounds like you'll be ok. This sounds like lost property under Ohio law. You're going to be obligated to make a good faith effort to find the true owner. Easiest way for you to do this is turn the object in question over to a local sheriff, explain where you found it, and let them try to find the owner. If you choose to hand it over to the sheriff, you should also ask the sheriff how long until they determine that the property has been abandoned and/or when you should check in on the property. Heres an attorney general opinion regarding a similar situation in Ohio and a canoe. https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/getattachment/57059a60-4932-4085-952c-856a283de426/2014-043.aspx Remember, your claim of right at this point is superior to that of the sheriff. Right now and based on the limited facts I have, you appear to have a claim on the property over anyone but the true owner.
As a side note, you should really be honest with yourself on just how easy it would be to find the true owner. For example, if the object has a street address or a phone number on it (or if you try to hide evidence of the true owner), you won't be able to claim that you made a good faith effort to return it should the true owner find you with it. Good luck!
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
