What a mess! Hopefully you at least got paid. The initial transaction could have been handled better (don't ever let someone drive off with your plate; when you buy a car at a dealer, they don't let you drive off with their plate.)

Not sure if she has any claim to successfully sue... Read more »

I see three remedies:

1. A construction lien. I am not going to write up all of the steps because it is somewhat complicated and we don't have enough facts to determine whether the remedy is available.

2. A lawsuit against your customer to collect the balance.

3. A... Read more »

Possibly. Have you tried contacting the seller to ask for your money back in exchange for the truck bed?

No. The more legal question becomes whether this was a gift or transfer made under a contract. In either case, you are out that money. When you give someone a gift, you lose control once the transfer is made; if a contract, the money is theirs once you offered $3,000, they accepted it, and gave you... Read more »

A Michigan attorney could advise best, but your question remains open for two weeks. Until you're able to speak with a local attorney to figure out if you have a case that's cost-effective to pursue, you could review your insurance policy to make certain of what it covers. In terms of a... Read more »

No it's not.

Possibly. Sounds like the makings of a lawsuit for which you should seek an employee-side civil litigator.

Can you? Yes. Should you? No. You need to understand that major corporations like Ford have entire departments full of attorneys working for them, any of whom would have a field day with a pro se litigant. The first thing they will do is remove the case to the general civil docket because 1)... Read more »

This is a matter of what's more important to you: do you want to be right, or do you want a relationship? And I suppose the same question could be posed to your mother.

I don't know enough facts to say whether your mom would win a lawsuit. You, though, would probably come out... Read more »

You cannot have a lawyer in small claims court.

Not sure if you have an illegal eviction action as much as a possible claim and delivery action, which you can initiate yourself in the district court.

I think you're right that you can sue them. I would try consulting a consumer rights attorney before trying it on my own. And I would plan to go ahead and sue in the general civil division (district court), not small claims. In small claims, neither party can have an attorney, and a business... Read more »

I think the safest course of action would be to contact the school and ask.

As a practical matter, you are dealing with someone who somehow got that rental car impounded...doesn't sound like a good risk to sign for anything.

You can sue whomever you like; but it doesn't sound like this person cares much about responsibility or likely what a judge says.... Read more »

I suggest small claims court. It is inexpensive and quick. But you are going to have to have proof, (perhaps other witnesses), of the items that were in your vehicle. And values. For example the golf equipment, I suggest you provide the original receipts and then printouts of the same equipment... Read more »

Enough? Anything's possible I guess. The fact that your evidence is mostly emails and texts doesn't dictate whether you have a winning case or not. There are ways to get those into evidence, so the trier of fact can weigh it. But keep in mind evidence is not proof.

Think if it... Read more »