A property owner recently purchased a set of antique chairs and displayed them in a private collection. While visiting the property with permission, a guest took one of the chairs and lent it to a local museum without informing the owner. The owner later discovered the chair on display at the museum and demanded its return. The museum complied and returned the chair in its original condition. What claim would provide the property owner with the BEST legal argument for recovering compensatory damages against the guest?
The best claim here is conversion because it involves a substantial interference with the owner’s property rights. Conversion occurs when someone intentionally exercises control or dominion over another's chattel in a manner that deprives the owner of its use temporarily or permanently. In this case, the guest deprived the owner of their rights by passing the chair to the museum without permission. While 'trespass to chattels' could apply where the interference is minor and doesn’t deprive possession, the magnitude of the deprivation here elevates the claim to conversion. 'Breach of bailment' fails because the guest did not act in the capacity of a lawful bailee with permission to move or lend the property. 'Unjust enrichment' does not directly apply because there’s no evidence the guest benefited monetarily or otherwise from their actions.
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What constitutes conversion in legal terms?
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How does conversion differ from trespass to chattels?
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What are compensatory damages, and how are they related to conversion?