noun
- a legal action to recover personal property wrongfully detained by another person
Usage: legal
Examples
- The plaintiff filed a detinue action to recover his stolen car.
- Detinue is an ancient common law remedy for wrongful detention of goods.
- The court awarded damages in the detinue case when the defendant refused to return the property.
- She brought a detinue suit against her former business partner for withholding company equipment.
- The lawyer explained that detinue differs from conversion in that it seeks return of the specific item.
- In detinue, the plaintiff must prove rightful ownership of the detained property.