Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Robanybody" data-source="post: 137278" data-attributes="member: 24688">From a liability standpoint, a signed receipt from the seller will keep you out of criminal jeopardy. But if it's discovered later that the seller didn't have the right to dispose of the property, you might have some civil financial liability. I bought a theft recovered s 763 at an auction, I kept all the paperwork from the auction in a box inside the machine with the manual. Never needed it, but you never know.California and a couple other states have a registration system for diesel machines based on horsepower and emissions. That's why they have the red numbers on either side.I'd say that you should at least contact the local law enforcement and ask them to check the S/N to see if it's in the system. Anything else would be a civil matter. But you will have done your due diligence.Different states have different rules of inheritance and the rights and relationships of survivors can be a twisted mess.I'm not a lawyer, but I keep in  the good graces of a couple of them.</blockquote>