Sticky situation.

[Goodburbon]

Complicated situation follows.


For the purpose of this explanation we will be party A, there is a party B, party C and party D involved.

We (A) traded goods for goods with B. We received what was promised to us, and delivered what was promised. The official paperwork was not completed. Party B had to abruptly leave and brought in party C to be caretakers of the business . Party B offered our goods to C in trade for care of some of their property . Enter party D, the Owners of the facility that housed the business supposedly owned by party B and sub-leased to party C. Party D jumped in after B left, called B thieves and convinced C to cancel their checks to B . C is now withholding from B the property they're supposed to caretake because it's not in B's name (on what I assume to be legal grounds, as it's in B's Family's name). Party B has asked us to hold on to the goods for them until they can retrieve.

Supposedly there is pending legal action against B, and several other parties are spreading wild rumors about B. To the point of costing B their employment before they even started.

Clear as mud yet?

We have to sign over the goods to someone, we received our property, but the deal is horqued beyond belief. I have no feelings of ill will to anyone in this gig, nor do I want to or intend to cheat anyone. I've met party C, and like them and feel that they've been dumped into a pile of crap. I want to do the right thing, but I can't even really tell what that is.

My wife is inclined to reposess our goods.

I'm thinking that if my wife pushes the issue I'll offer C a storage fee for the goods and just keep it for B as we promised.

Honestly I'd rather just sign the goods over to C and wipe my hands of the whole damn thing.

Regardless I've offered my help to C and I have every intention of doing what I can to help them in this mess they've wound up in.

[WETWRKS]

Take everything that you have that is owed to anyone else down to the police and leave it with them and let everyone know where they can claim their goods and that you are finished with your part of the transaction. Otherwise I can easily see you getting dragged into court as part of the fighting over who owes whom what.

[Goodburbon]

Take everything that you have that is owed to anyone else down to the police and leave it with them and let everyone know where they can claim their goods and that you are finished with your part of the transaction. Otherwise I can easily see you getting dragged into court as part of the fighting over who owes whom what.

Not a possibility.

[Danimal]

Preface to my response: I have been drinking, it is late, and I have to get up early for leftover license sales in the morning so I will be brief.

The most important part, as I understand it, is that you have received your end of the deal, and still have their property in your possession. Now you have two situations that you could be in.

1) Keeping their property for the time being is a financial liability to you or your business.
2) Keeping their property for the time being is not a problem other than it is owed to another.

From option 1, If it s a financial liability you need to get whomever claims the property to pay for your losses until this is all figured out. If they actually want the property and have the intention of resolving the issue they will gladly cover your costs. They should understand that they need to cover the financial liability while the legal issues involving all parties are resolved. This benefits them because then they have a financial right to the property that can be proven or at least repaid to them should the property be recovered by one of the other parties. I would approach all parties involved and present them with a itemized bill of expenses and a contract for them to cover the expenses. Then they will have to decide who pays and who will not pay. Then they can use the contract between you and them as proof that they own the property and that they have a vested financial interest in the property.

From option 2, I would just hold onto it and wait for the issue to be resolved through legal means without getting involved. I would let this be know to all parties involved and tell them to come back when the issue has been resolved between them. If it is not costing you any money, time or effort, holding onto the disputed property is the easiest for all parties. If you sign it over to the wrong party, or whomever you sign it over to has a limited stake in the property, you now have made the whole situation a lot harder for those still involved.

[WETWRKS]

Not a possibility.

What part of that isn't a possibility? That you can't turn it over to the police or that you cannot get hauled into court as part of the lawsuit?

[Dr_Fwd]

Do not sign the stuff to C, next thing you know - B is gonna be claiming it from YOU. Just get your stuff back from C and hold it till the things are cleared or just cancel the whole deal with B and be done with it.

[Ashton]

Are the goods perishable? If so I say stand back as you already did the deal. It's in their court. Otherwise IMHO. Hold them and avoid any further legal proceedings.

[Goodburbon]

The goods are horses, I can not drop them off at the sheriff's office.

They cost money to care for while everything gets settled.

C has possession of the horse we traded to party B and that party B promised to them for the care of another horse, but they have voiced that there was no deal to take care of that horse, and they have voiced that they have zero intentions of returning that horse to party B, as the horse is not in their name but B's mother's name.


There may or may not be legal action pending against party B, but I can not confirm, rumors an accusations are running wild, being spread by multiple parties.

[Ridge]

You completed your deal with party b. They made a deal with party c. You have no reason to be involved.

[Goodburbon]

But I do. I have to sign over the horse. I would like to sign it over to party B and let them handle the rest, but I can not as they are out of state, and not scheduled to return until September.

[newracer]

You completed your deal with party b. They made a deal with party c. You have no reason to be involved.

This

[Ridge]

But I do. I have to sign over the horse. I would like to sign it over to party B and let them handle the rest, but I can not as they are out of state, and not scheduled to return until September.

In that case, your legal obligation still remains with Party B. If you need to reclaim what is still your property to ensure they receive it, then so be the case.

[ronaldrwl]

I'm not a lawyer. It seems to me, the safest move for you is to give the property to whom you initially made the agreement with. I can't believe it's your responsibility to resolve the legal issues that may have come about. That's up to the courts.