What are my legal options for vehicle vandalism?
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What are my legal options for vehicle vandalism?
If someone slashed my tires in broad daylight and its
on camera but I don’t know the person who actually
slashed them; I do know and recognize the person
that was driving the vehicle the slasher was in and
recognize the vehicle. What are my options?
Asked on March 28, 2016 under Accident Law, California
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 8 years ago | Contributor
To seek compensation, sue the driver and also "John"--or "Jane," as appropriate--"Doe." You name the driver because he/she may well have assisted the slasher, and doing so would make the driver, liable, too; and by suing him/her, you can then use legal process to get the name, address, etc. of the slasher out of him/her. The "John/Jane Doe" is a placeholder until you get the appropriate name; once you have it, you amend the complaint to name the right person and then serve it on him/her. Contact your court clerk to see if you can issue a subpoena or use other legal process (e.g. written interrogatories, or questions) in your small claims court to get this information; if not, you may need to file in "regular" county or district court, not small claims, to have access to these mechanisms.
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