Legal Definitions - detinuit

Definition: Detinuit (di-tin-yoo-it) is a Latin term that means "he has detained." It refers to a legal action where the plaintiff recovers possession of the property claimed under a writ of replevin.

Example 1: John borrowed a lawnmower from his neighbor, but when he tried to return it, the neighbor refused to take it back. John filed a lawsuit and obtained a writ of replevin to recover the lawnmower. When the court granted the writ, the neighbor had to return the lawnmower to John. This action is known as detinuit.

Example 2: Mary bought a car from a dealer, but the dealer failed to transfer the title to her. When Mary tried to register the car, she found out that the title was still in the dealer's name. Mary sued the dealer and obtained a writ of replevin to recover the car. When the court granted the writ, the dealer had to transfer the title to Mary. This action is also known as detinuit.

These examples illustrate how detinuit is used in legal cases where the plaintiff recovers possession of property that was wrongfully detained by the defendant. The writ of replevin is a legal remedy that allows the plaintiff to recover the property and obtain damages for any losses suffered as a result of the detention.