Procedure for Obtaining, in Court, a Writ of Replevin The filing of a complaint begins a replevin action. As in other civil actions, the defendant is brought into Court by the service of the summons and the complaint. If the plaintiff establishes the cause of action, the Court must enter an Order granting possession.
To initiate the replevin action, creditors must attach proof of a bill of sale, property title, debt agreement, etc. to a complaint filed with the clerk of court. This filing will include a replevin summons, as well as filing the original documents with the court as well.
A writ of replevin was available only for an unlawful taking in the nature of a wrongful distress, where restitution could be made for the goods wrongfully taken (being in the nature of a redelivery of the pledge or the thing taken in distress) with damages for the loss sustained by such action.
(1) Where goods, chattels, deeds, bonds, debentures, promissory notes, bills of exchange, books of account, papers, writings, valuable securities or other personal property have been wrongfully distrained, the person complaining the distress is unlawful may bring an action of replevin; or where they have been otherwise ...
If the repo company can't repossess the car without breaching the peace, then the lender can go to court and go through the replevin process. The lender is basically taking you to court to make you hand over the car. If you lose the court case, then you have to return the car by the scheduled date.
A consumer who defaults on a vehicle loan usually faces the repossession of the vehicle, but sometimes a lender will use replevin as an alternative. While repossession does not involve a formal process in court, replevin consists of getting the court to order the consumer to return the vehicle to the lender.
Alternative Legal Actions Other legal remedies may be more appropriate than a replevin action, depending on why the court denied the replevin action. These might include: An action for monetary damages. A claim for trespass to chattels, based on substantial interference with the use of your personal property.
The timeline for regaining possession of a repossessed car can vary depending on your specific circumstances and location. In California, you may have the right to "redeem" or "reinstate" your vehicle, which involves paying off the remaining contract balance, fees, and complying with legal requirements.
What happens once I file the replevin? Your case will be set for a hearing to go before a judge. An Order To Show Cause will be issued and served on the defendant, notifying him/her of the action and the date of the hearing. You will also be notified of the hearing date.
Repossession, colloquially repo, is a "self-help" type of action in which the party having right of ownership of a property takes the property in question back from the party having right of possession without invoking court proceedings.