I rented a house to a woman. Her name was the only name on the contract. Her live-in boyfriend murdered her and is now in jail. His belongin...

Question

I rented a house to a woman. Her name was the only name on the contract. Her live-in boyfriend murdered her and is now in jail. His belongings are still in the house. Do I have to file a disposessory in order to remove his stuff? Or can I just remove it?

Answer

"In jail" doesn't really say much. Was he just arrested and in the county jail, and possibly getting out on bail in the next few days, or has he been convicted and in prison for a few years? If the former, you might be safe in filing a dispossessory. If the latter, it is probably safe to deem it abandoned (with no one to complain). You might want to store his stuff for a while in case he or his family wants to pick it up.

Answer

You have to file a dispossessory. If you touch his property without it, you have broken the law.