to replevin
- verb
- /rɪˈplɛvɪn/
- Formal
- The lawyer filed a motion to replevin the artwork that had been improperly taken from the gallery.
Examples
-
She decided to replevin her grandfather's watch after discovering it was sold without her consent.
-
A minority of states apply a discovery standard to replevin actions, shifting the burden onto the original owner or heirs by running the statute of limitations from the time they should have known of the theft.
Academic text (2006) -
In order to reclaim her bicycle, she initiated a replevin action against the person who had taken it.
Synonyms
To take back a house or car when someone stops paying
Antonyms
How Legal
- Formal
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Etymology
Replevin comes from the same old French idea of 'taking back'. The re- part means 'back', so to replevin something is to use the courts to take your property back.