How ‘Finders Keepers, Loser Weepers’ isn’t Legal in Texas

(Longview, Texas) - I want you to think back to elementary school. You probably remember finding a lost thing on the playground. What did you do? You probably yelled out "Finders keepers, losers weepers!"

Someone else probably ran up and said "Nu-uh! It's mine!" There may have been a short tug of war over that thing to which the winner took control of the item and yelled the same thing back "Finders keepers, losers weepers!" Does that work in the real world, though?

Is a Random 'Thing' You Found Legally Yours?

This information comes from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and a conversation they had with lawyer Bryan Wilson (star-telegram.com). I didn't know this but found stuff can basically be put into four buckets in Texas, Abandoned, Lost, Mislaid or Treasure Trove. Abandoned, Lost and Mislaid are all covered under Texas law. All four buckets have different ways to handle things, too.

Abandoned property is considered just that after three years and can be claimed for yourself. If an item is considered lost and is found by someone, that someone can claim as it as their own unless the owner comes forward. The item is required to be given back if that happens.

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If an item is mislaid, the owner is most likely coming back so the property must be left alone. In the case of Treasure Trove, that is not recognized by the State of Texas. It is to be treated as mislaid or lost. The items belong to the owner and must be returned to the owner if they return to claim the item.

Finders Keepers isn't Legal Precedent in Texas

Basically, "Finders Keepers" isn't a thing in Texas. You can be charged with theft if the found item isn't returned to the rightful owner. It can be a Class C misdemeanor if under $100 all the way up to a felony if valued between $2,500 and $30,000.

READ MORE: How Legal is it to Shoot Wild Hogs on Your Property in East Texas?