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Finders, keepers?

I was on “The Last Word”, yesterday discussing Lotto tickets. This led to a reference to the passing of ownership of property to the finder of lost property.

I cited a year and a half as the period of time required to elapse before that transfer or vesting could take place. I meant to say “… a year and a day”.

As I write I have not found the source of that (recollected) period, but I am impressed by the discussion of this in Wikepedia, HERE.

It has this neat citation: “A finder of property acquires no rights in mislaid property, is entitled to possession of lost property against everyone except the true owner, and is entitled to keep abandoned property”.

You have it all there, except the definitions of “mislaid” “lost” and “abandoned”, and for that you will need a lawyer.