Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Texas

Civil Litigation or Criminal Case?

I took a family heirloom (a clock) to a shop to be serviced. When I went to the shop to retrieve the item, they told me they had ''lost'' it - that it had either been stolen from their establishment or mistakenly given to another customer. The shop has not contacted the police to file a report, nor have they researched their customers to determine if someone had the item.

Does this fall under criminal statutes or civil litigation? If the latter: as the value of the heirloom is greater than the limits imposed by small claims court, what damages should be sought?


Asked on 1/13/03, 9:06 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Peter Bradie Bradie, Bradie & Bradie

Re: Civil Litigation or Criminal Case?

It's purely a civil matter. If the value is over $5,000, you'll need to hire an attorney to handle the matter. The damages are the value of the missing piece.

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Answered on 1/13/03, 11:16 am


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