§ 21855 Cattle Theft Damages

Key Takeaways

•If someone steals, hides, moves, or kills your cows without your permission, you can get 4 times the value of the cows as money back.
•You also get extra money for the time and effort you spent trying to find your cows.
•If someone has a legal right to take the cows (like a bank if you didn’t pay a loan), they won’t get in trouble if they follow the rules, like getting a brand inspection first.
•Even if the police are already dealing with the cow theft, you can still sue the person who took your cows.

Example

If someone steals your cow worth $1,000 and you spend $200 trying to find it, you can get $4,000 (4 times the cow’s value) plus the $200 back.

The law says you get 4 times the cow’s value plus money for your trouble. So, $1,000 x 4 = $4,000, plus $200 for your time and effort.

Notwithstanding any other law, in any action for the wrongful taking, possessing, harboring, or transporting of cattle, for the driving of cattle off their usual range, or for the killing or slaughter of cattle without the consent of the owner or the person lawfully in possession of such cattle, the detriment caused thereby to the plaintiff shall be four times the value of the cattle at the time of the taking, possessing, harboring, transporting, or driving, or killing or slaughtering thereof, with interest from that time, plus an amount in fair compensation for the time and money properly expended by the plaintiff in pursuit of the cattle. This section shall not apply to a secured party, as defined in paragraph (73) of subdivision (a) of Section 9102 of the Commercial Code, when taking possession of cattle pursuant to a security agreement if one of the following conditions has been met prior to movement of any such cattle: (a) The secured party has requested and received a brand inspection of the cattle covered by the security agreement pursuant to Sections 21051.5 and 21171 of this code. (b) The secured party has requested the inspection required by subdivision (a) and due to an insufficient amount of time to inspect the cattle prior to their movement, the brand inspector agrees to allow movement of the cattle, with inspection of the cattle to be made at their first destination prior to their commingling with any other cattle. The inspection performed pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b) shall be conducted for the sole purpose of assuring that the cattle that are moved are the same cattle subject to the security agreement. In a proper case, which shall include the killing or slaughter of cattle, exemplary damages may be awarded to the plaintiff as provided in Section 3340 of the Civil Code. The commencement of any criminal prosecution for grand theft of cattle shall not preclude or prevent the commencement of any civil action for damages, as specified in this section. (Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 531, Sec. 25. (AB 502) Effective January 1, 2014. Operative July 1, 2014, pursuant to Sec. 28 of Ch. 531.)

Key Takeaways

•If someone steals, hides, moves, or kills your cows without your permission, you can get 4 times the value of the cows as money back.
•You also get extra money for the time and effort you spent trying to find your cows.
•If someone has a legal right to take the cows (like a bank if you didn’t pay a loan), they won’t get in trouble if they follow the rules, like getting a brand inspection first.
•Even if the police are already dealing with the cow theft, you can still sue the person who took your cows.

Example

If someone steals your cow worth $1,000 and you spend $200 trying to find it, you can get $4,000 (4 times the cow’s value) plus the $200 back.

The law says you get 4 times the cow’s value plus money for your trouble. So, $1,000 x 4 = $4,000, plus $200 for your time and effort.

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

References

§ 21855 Cattle Theft Damages

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

References

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References