Sounds bad, but can I take my parents to court?

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Veedes

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This is the original post ... but replicated as best as possible here... thanks for the reads....


http://www.thelaw.com/forums/showthread.php?p=21695&mode=linear#post21695

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Yes it does sound bad, but here is the deal. I received a straw purchase, and for those of you that dont know what it is, its where someone w/ better credit actually makes the purchase of say of a vehicle, but for all intents and purposes it will not be theirs, but will be urs to have. The dealership actually in the process of the sale found out and almost didnt sell my dad the car, but they went ahead and followed thru w/ the purchase. See my father signed for a car for me brand new off of the lot, in 2003. I put my car in on a trade in for the new car and was given $4500 for the trade. I have made every payment on this car at $375.00 (there abouts) and have maintained the insuarance coverage on the vehicle. I lost my job in late October and was unable to locate a job until January. I fell behind in the payments, but maintained the insurance at all times. My Mother helped me out w/ the payments and she told me that she would make them while i was out of work. There were no terms as to repayment of these payments when they were made, I assumed she was just being a mom helping her son out in a rough patch... THank God I maintained the Ins coverage because I had an accident and the car had to go to the shop.... to keep a very complex story down to its shortest and most concise, the insurance company mailed the check to the house, and it was cashed not by myself, and used for other reasons besides the repair of the car. Where it was spent is irregardless as the money wasnt avail when the car was avail for p/u. When the car was ready, i did not have the $2800.00 to get the car out of the shop, worked several jobs to save the money and had it in full by 2nd week of April. My parents had already p/u the car, and now since they interviened they will not release my car to me untill i make all back payments and pay for the repairs of the car. The repairs of the car i understand need to get payed, but they slammed me w/ the back carpayments, and that easily puts me behind another $1500.00 on top of the $2800.00 i already owe totaling it to $4300.00+ for the car. I had $3000.00 to give them and they will not budge or work w/ me on the remainder, and will only return the car when it has been paid for in full, and meanwhile i am falling even further and further behind on payments while they make the payments on their own physically making it impossible for me to "buy" back my car. My question is (which i assume i know the answer to this) can they do this? I know its in his name, may not be right how they are going about it, but its by all rights, their car... so what about my car that i traded in at a $4500.00 value, and all the payments i have made thus far? This car is about to be paid off, and I am about to lose every last dime i put into this car, just so that they dont have to buy another car for my sister who will be turning 16 within the year. I dont think that they are right for doing what they are doing, but thats not what the forum is about.... I want/need to know what, if anything, I can do to be reimbursed my what i put into this purchase that appearently is on its road to a very sour end. I am going to lose everything. I lost my trade in, now if i lose this car i lose the new car and also my trade in, plus every stinkin payment, insurance payment, upkeep and maintance costs that i have put into this car and nothing to show for it. What can i do providing that I provide the burden of proof that I made the payments the whole time, that I kept the liability of insurance on the car the whole time, that the car was, well, mine... and bought for that very intention. To be my car. Now at the most convinient time for them they are backing out of the agreement made in good faith, and i am being left with nothing. I need transportation to get to work and back, and i am having to bum rides everywhere i go, i saved every dime i had even my electricity was turned off because i was hoarding my pennies to get the car out of the shop quicker....

Can a lawyer help me?


Thanks

Car-less in Dallas
 
Repost in general law

calalily said:
Try this website for small claims. In Texas it's $5,000.00 http://www.peopleslawyer.net/smallclaims/

But if you want more money then you'll have to probably hire a lawyer. You probably have a good case, especially since they got the money for the repairs and spent it, rather than giving you the money to repair the car and you paid the insurance yourself. They shouldn't be "charging" you for the repairs as they already got paid for that. Back payments you probably owe, otherwise you would have to prove it was a gift from your mom. Did you pay the $3000.00 and they accepted it? And they still want more and won't let you have the car? What has been your total payout? What do you still owe on car? Don't feel bad for suing your parents...sounds like they are not doing right by you. But understand if you do, nothing will be the same again between you.
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I am not an attorney and comments do not represent legal advise.
(says needs 10 more characters to repost so here they are)
 
See thats the thing, I had $3000.00 cash in my hands, and my parents are both truck drivers so money usually isnt an issue w/ them, but I know that its tight here lately. I think just because of their pride, or because they are making it as difficult as possible, they wouldnt accept the 3000, and would only accept the $3000 only if it were accompanied w/ 4 car payments. I understand that it is not my mom's responsibility to pay my notes, but when she tells me that she is going to take care of it for me, and then tells me a few weeks ago that i need to somehow come up w/ the money because she cant, i expect her to follow thru w/ her word. I never expected a free gift from her, but i didnt expect her to charge it all up front... i mean after all she didnt have to pay the payments all up front... so how does she expect me to do it? I got the car new in 2003, nissa altima se brand new off of the lot in January 04. 40 payments made at about 375 a pop, + my original trade in value of $4500 puts me at $19, 500 vested into this vehicle. I dont know what this will do to the innerworkings of my family network, but as it stands right now i am the outcast, so i dont really care what they think of me anymore... and as it stands i can ... cut my losses, the at a huge loss rate and keep my money and move on... or w/ this $3,000 i can give it all to an attorney right now... i just dont know if my burden of proof will substantiate a larger claim. We all know on PRINCIPLE, the basic human urge to do good, i think we know that what they are doing isnt right... but there is a huge difference between Principle/ethics, and legality. If i roll the dice i may lose what i have saved already for a failure to establish burden of proof verdict, or who knows i may get a good verdict... I have never heard of a judge that over looked the legality of an issue due to the sympathy to the case... They have a job to do also, and i understand that... but i have been wronged, all while they reap the rewards of my hard work in paying for that car. Its just flat out not right!!!
 
Ongoing issue...

So i talked to my parents today and bam... nothing. Kinda figured that this was going to happend but figuring that it will, and it actually happening, are 2 different things. I am just livid... I need to know who do i go to for help? As a common citizen, i understand the letter of the law read, his name on the paperwork = his car... but there has to be something... something or someway of doing something to help people who in good faith enter an agreement and get screwed... isnt an oral agreement binding? i traded my car in, got 4500 for the trade, and in essence lost it all... and actually no payments are missed... my mom paid them for me, and she wont get involved. The resolution that my dad said was that when i got all the $ together i could have my car back. well, by the time i save up an xtra 4 payments, i will be 3 more in the hole, then for those, another 3 in the hole... he is on his high horse to prove a point.... which i found out today was because he doesnt like my fiance... lose the fiance, get a car... UNREAL... He has no right... Can anyone recomend an attorney that can help in Dallas TX? i have $3000.00 to start this case with... and i need to put an end to this.,.. The carsalesman knows who the car was for, the finance guy knows who the car was for, the underwriter knew, everyone knew that even tho the signature was his, it was my car... i will involve everyone if i have too... but there has to be some sort of something that binds my dad to some code of ethics or something because of the oral agreement we made... in which isnt defaulted becasue the payments are made... please help...
 
Check out other law sites

There are some other law sites that have a button to submit your post to a lawyer for review. I think one is called Freeadvice.com. Google: Law Forums. Also on the start page/home page there is a place on this website for lawyers,but I have never used it, so I don't know if you'll find what you need. You may try consumer law but I am unsure as to what your problem would fall under for lawyers. Good luck.
 
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