Bridges v Hawkesworth
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| Bridges v Hawkesworth | |
| Court | Court of Queen’s Bench |
|---|---|
| Citation | 21 L.J.Q.B. 75, 91 Rev. Rep. 850 |
| Date decided | November 1851 |
Facts
- Hawkesworth = defendant = a shop owner
- The plaintiff, Bridges, found banknotes (worth £65 in 1850s or about $13,000 in 2024) on the floor of the defendant, Hawkesworth’s, shop.
- Bridges left the notes with Hawkesworth, intending for him to return them to the true owner.
- Hawksworth placed ads in the local newspaper, yet no one claimed the money
- After three (3) years of no one claiming the notes, Bridges requested that they be given to him.
- However, Hawkesworth refused to hand over the money.
Procedural History
- Bridges sued Hawkesworth in the County Court of Westminster in Britain.
- Bridges lost in the trial court.
Issues
Is ownership of a lost item found on premises open to the public vested in the
- finder of the property or
- the owner of the premises?
Holding
Ownership of a lost item found on premises open to the public vests in the person who found the property, not the owner of the premises.
Judgment
Reversed
Reasons
A shop is open to the public; thus, the shop would be akin to the state of nature.
