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Civil litigation

conversion

Conversion (theft) is generally the cause of action/claim for which a party whose property has been stolen may file a civil lawsuit to recover the stolen property or its value. Theft is also prosecuted as a crime, but the object of a criminal prosecution is generally to punish the wrongdoer, rather than to seek recovery of the lost property.

In Pennsylvania, conversion is a civil cause of action that allows a person whose property has been wrongfully taken or retained to seek recovery of their property or its monetary value from the party responsible for the conversion. This is distinct from theft, which is prosecuted as a crime under Pennsylvania's criminal statutes. While criminal prosecution aims to punish the offender, a civil action for conversion focuses on compensating the victim for their loss. Victims of theft in Pennsylvania may choose to file a civil lawsuit for conversion in addition to, or instead of, the criminal process. This can be particularly useful if the criminal process does not fully compensate for their losses or if the stolen property has particular sentimental value that is not reflected in its market value.

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Civil litigation

conversion

Individual & Family Legal Plan

Articles

Pennsylvania State Code

Pennsylvania State Code

Civil litigation

conversion

Articles