The tort of conversion occurs when personal property is taken by a defendant and kept from its true owner without permission of the owner. Conversion is the civil side of the crime of theft. In an action for conversion, the taking of the property may be lawful, but the retaining of the property is unlawful. To succeed in such an action, the plaintiff must prove that he or she demanded the property returned and the defendant refused to do so.
This form is a generic complaint and adopts the "notice pleadings" format of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which have been adopted by most states in one form or another. This form is for illustrative purposes only. Local laws should be consulted to determine any specific requirements for such a form in a particular jurisdiction.
