Florida Statutes 538.08 – Stolen goods; complaint for return
Plaintiff A. B. sues defendant C. D., and alleges:
1. This is an action to recover possession of personal property in     County, Florida.
2. The description of the property is:   (list property)  . To the best of plaintiff‘s knowledge, information, and belief, the value of the property is $   .
3. Plaintiff is the lawful owner of the property or is entitled to the possession of the property under a security agreement dated   ,   (year)  , a copy of which is attached.
4. To plaintiff’s best knowledge, information, and belief, the property is located at     .
5. The property is wrongfully detained by defendant. Defendant came into possession of the property by   (describe method of possession)  . To plaintiff’s best knowledge, information, and belief, defendant detains the property because   (give reasons)  .
6. The property has not been taken under an execution or attachment against plaintiff’s property.
Terms Used In Florida Statutes 538.08
- Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- person: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
- Personal property: All property that is not real property.
- Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
- Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
- Secondhand dealer: means any person, corporation, or other business organization or entity which is not a secondary metals recycler subject to part II and which is engaged in the business of purchasing, consigning, or trading secondhand goods. See Florida Statutes 538.03