The claim requires the plaintiff's ownership or right to possession, the defendant's wrongful dominion, and damages. The remedy is typically the property's value at conversion rather than return.
Application to intangibles varies by jurisdiction.
Alternative Names:
Conversion Claim|Tortious Conversion
Why it Matters?
Conversion of money requires that the funds be specifically identifiable rather than a general debt, which defeats claims recharacterizing a payment dispute as a tort. That limitation prevents conversion from displacing contract remedies. Application to intangible property including electronic data and business information has expanded in some jurisdictions while others confine the tort to tangible property or documents merging the intangible right.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Can money be converted?
Does the tort reach intangible property?
