Missouri Law requires a car dealer to provide the title to the vehicle at the time it was delivered. Section 301.210.4 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri holds that
“It shall be unlawful for any person to buy or sell in this state any motor vehicle or trailer registered under the laws of this state, unless, at the time of the delivery thereof, there shall pass between the parties such certificates of ownership with an assignment thereof, as provided in this section, and the sale of any motor vehicle or trailer registered under the laws of this state, without the assignment of such certificate of ownership, shall be fraudulent and void.”
If you signed a retail installment contract and drove the vehicle off the lot, but the dealer did not provide the vehicle title at the time the vehicle was delivered or in the weeks or months thereafter, the sale may be null and void, and you might be entitled to demand a return of the money which you paid for both the down payment and the subsequent monthly payments made.
If you recently purchased a vehicle, and feel that the behavior of the car dealer was unfair or deceptive, you should contact a consumer advocate to discuss the transaction and review all of your potential claims and options.
Bob Healey is a licensed attorney and principal with Healey Law, LLC, a full-service St. Louis law firm, specializing in handling cases for accident and injury victims, injured workers, and consumers who have been abused or mistreated by debt collectors, banks, car dealers, mortgage companies and credit reporting agencies. With 4 convenient locations in Chesterfield, Downtown St. Louis, North County (Bridgeton near DePaul Hospital) and South County (on Tesson Ferry across from St. Anthony’s Hospital). Bob Healey has over 25 years of experience representing clients in the State and Federal Courts in both Missouri and Illinois. For more information visit: http://www.healeylawllc.com
