Q: Can a previous owner of a boat legally file for a lost title if the original wasn't transferred in Kentucky?
I purchased a boat. I misplaced the title and found it months later. I took it to the county clerks office to have it transferred and they informed me that the previous owner had filed for a lost title a few weeks prior. The previous owner was paid in full. I still have the original title signed and notarized by a local attorney, but was not able to transfer because a replacement title had just been issued. I've contacted the previous owner and they refuse to speak to me about this situation. I still have the boat, but can't sell it or pay the tax and registration owed on it. Can the previous owner be charged with fraud since he acted as if he still owned the boat when he filed for the lost title? How should I go about getting it transferred? Thank you
A: You will likely have to sue the previous owner to quiet title to the boat. More information is necessary to determine whether fraud is involved.
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.
