Is Anyone Here a Lawyer or Member of Law Enforcement?

[GabyKeepsMeWarm]

I've got a situation.

My dad died in May of last year, and I'm the executor of his estate. It's been a nightmare. He died without a will and sorting through everything has been an awful mess.

My father lived in Iowa, and he had a "companion" that he met online. I've been very skeptical of this woman from the outset, but how do you tell your 78 year old father he's being taken for a ride? His "companion" lives in New Mexico, and my father would go down to New Mexico during the Winter months. Dad bought a motor home and left it in New Mexico, giving her full access. However, the motor home was only titled and registered in his name.

Well, after dad died, I discovered this woman had the motor home retitled and registered in her name.

I've spoken to several lawyers, including the DA of the county in which the motor home was stolen, as well as the state police and local law enforcement, and I haven't gotten anywhere.

Law enforcement is calling it a civil matter, even saying that this woman claims my father gave her the vehicle prior to his death. It's incredibly frustrating. If her claims are true, which they are not, why did she wait until after he died to retitle and reregister the vehicle?

Every attorney I've spoken to is calling this a law enforcement matter.

It's like nobody wants to do their ****ing job, and I'm at my wits end about this.

Any advice?

[Yosef_Malkovitch]

Originally Posted by DenverChief

Tl;dr juice isn’t worth the squeeze

Exactly this. And if you want someone to actually dig into it, you need to offer some juice up front.

[bdj23]

Mike's got this

[TimeForWasp]

Originally Posted by Yosef_Malkovitch

Exactly this. And if you want someone to actually dig into it, you need to offer some juice up front.

Ok Yosef, you can have the antique flower fabric couch as a retainer.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by DenverChief

Tl;dr juice isn’t worth the squeeze

I read it, but only because I'm going to bill him $75 for it now.

[DenverChief]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I read it, but only because I'm going to bill him $75 for it now.

[Skyy God]

Originally Posted by Yosef_Malkovitch

I am a lawyer. My first thought when I read the OP is that most lawyers don't want to bother with this because there's not much money in it for them.

Not saying you (OP) have done this, but the amount of people who call up and "just want to ask a few questions about [their] rights" but have no intent of paying for my time is staggering. And I'm usually not inclined to put much effort into talking to them unless and until the clock is running and I'm getting paid.

A lawyer doesn't get a salary. He is paid for his time. Put differently, his time is what he sells. Every 15 minutes he spends talking to a non-paying caller is 15 minutes he's not getting paid for. It's literally like taking money out of his pocket.

Combine that with a (probable) low dollar case, and you're going to have a hard time getting anyone to seriously look into the issues and discuss them because they already suspect you're not going to want to pay them what it will cost to litigate. Simply put, they don't want to waste their time.

If you really want to get a lawyer to take a serious look into it, you need to start off the conversation by telling them you will pay their hourly rate for their time discussing it with you--regardless of whether you ultimately litigate or not. That way, if they spend time investigating and dissecting your situation and you decide you don't want to sue (which, to be honest, is probably going to be the outcome unless it's an extremely valuable vehicle), they still get compensated.

Just my 2 cents.

This is, almost without exception, the correct answer.

[Iowanian]

Wait.

She’s probably looking for the next victim and you probably know enough about her…to catfish her.

[kcclone]

Do you even want the hassle of dealing with a mobile home located in New Mexico?

You’re probably better off cutting the loss.

[J Diddy]

I've watched 3 Police Academy movies.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

I've watched 3 Police Academy movies.

Clearly, the answer is to have Bubba Smith tip the RV over onto its side.

[Demonpenz]

the boat race in police academy 2 was on all the time on HBO growing up

[Brooklyn]

Sorry he loved her more than you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ChiefsHawk]

I think for the board to provide accurate advice we need to know the value of the RV. Unless this is simply due to it being your dads RV and you want it back.

[Gary Cooper]

1. You have to prove she forged the title transfer. That's not easy unless the transfer was done literally after the father died. Was she a TOD beneficiary on the title? Is the OP sure the father didn't transfer this woman the title while living?

2. If there was a forgery, the OP would have to sue her in County Court and request the Judge to avoid the transfer. This isn't a police matter because it's not serious enough for them to care.

3. If the Court agrees with the OP, the transfer becomes void and title reverts to the deceased father. The OP then needs to notify the DMV and provide them the Court Order for them to reissue the title. Hopefully he talks to a clerk at the DMV that won't be flummoxed by this Order.

4. If he achieves #1, #2, and #3, the OP would need to open a small probate case to get title transferred into his own name. Then he can do as he pleases with the RV, but wait.................

5. If this lady refuses to leave the RV after the above events, the OP would need to file an eviction proceeding against her.


It's many hoops to jump through. Is it worth it financially? Will any attorney take this matter up?

[Joe Seahawk]

From Chat GPT

I'm sorry to hear about the difficult situation you are going through. It can be frustrating when it feels like law enforcement and attorneys aren't taking your concerns seriously.

One option you might consider is pursuing a civil lawsuit against the woman. You could consult with a civil litigation attorney who could help you determine if you have a case and what your legal options are.

Another option is to seek the help of a private investigator who can gather evidence to support your case. They may be able to find evidence that could prove that the woman's claim of ownership of the motor home is false.

You could also try to gather evidence on your own, such as bank statements or emails, that could help prove your case.

In addition to legal action, you could also try reaching out to local media outlets or consumer protection agencies. They may be able to help bring attention to your case and put pressure on law enforcement and the legal system to take action.

Finally, it's important to take care of yourself during this stressful time. Consider reaching out to a therapist or support group to help you cope with the emotions and challenges you are facing.