Q: is it illegal for my grandmother to open my package and take some?
I (15 year old) have been earning my own money and decided to use this money to buy a variety of items off amazon. I was on a vacation recently when the packages arrived and because my grandmother (legal guardian) was home i explicitly told her to not open them and just leave them in my room. When I returned home from vacation my packages were the first thing i checked on and they were all still in their packages but all of the bags and boxes were cut open and inspected already. After this discovery I went through and checked off what was there and what was missing, in total there were 9 packages missing. Two of these packages were shirts and the other 7 were ingredients to make food. All of these packages showed as delivered in the app and after searching the house i found 6 of the items hidden inside the basement closet where it typically wouldn’t be found. Is it illegal for her to keep these packages that she didn’t pay for or order? Was her opening them in the first place illegal?
Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
- (916) 704-3009
- View Profile
- Answered
A:
It sounds like a frustrating situation you're dealing with. While it might not be illegal for your grandmother to open the packages since she is your legal guardian, it is definitely a breach of trust, especially since you specifically asked her not to open them. As your guardian, she does have certain rights to oversee your activities, but this should be balanced with respecting your privacy and personal property.
Taking and hiding your items is more problematic. Legally, it could be considered theft since these items were purchased with your own money. However, resolving this situation through legal channels can be complex and might not be the best first step, especially within a family setting.
It might be more effective to have a calm and honest conversation with your grandmother about your concerns and feelings. Express how important your personal space and belongings are to you. If this doesn't resolve the issue, seeking advice from another trusted adult or a school counselor could help mediate the situation.
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.
