Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in California

Re: laws on debt by conversion

Conversion is any act of dominion wrongfully exerted over another's personal property in denial of or inconsistent with his rights therein. The elements of a conversion are the plaintiff's ownership or right to possession of the property at the time of the conversion; the defendant's conversion by a wrongful act or disposition of property rights; and damages.

In plain english, if you took somebody's property without permission or if you are holding someone's property that doesn't belong to you, they can sue you for money damages.