{"id":1857,"date":"2020-12-15T22:58:27","date_gmt":"2020-12-15T22:58:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.paultolandlaw.com\/?p=1857"},"modified":"2023-06-05T17:18:22","modified_gmt":"2023-06-05T17:18:22","slug":"arrested-taking-family-car-permission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.paultolandlaw.com\/pt-pt\/arrested-taking-family-car-permission\/","title":{"rendered":"Can I Be Arrested for Taking a Family Member\u2019s Car Without Permission in Massachusetts?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Taking a family member\u2019s car for a spin without asking for their permission can be all fun and exciting until you get arrested. The potential legal consequences of joyriding may not be as joyous as the ride in Massachusetts. You can be accused of theft or even carjacking depending on the circumstances surrounding the incident and may need a <\/span>criminal defense lawyer in Boston<\/b><\/a> for legal representation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Unlike other states like Florida that consider both temporary and permanent possession of someone else\u2019s car as theft, Massachusetts is a little bit different. Your intentions determine the magnitude of the crime you will be charged with.<\/span><\/p>\n

How Does the Law Distinguish Joyriding from Theft?<\/h2>\n

Intention to drive a car and not keep it differentiates a joyrider and a thief. The prosecution needs to prove that you took the car and planned never to return it to the owner \u2013 to convict you of motor vehicle theft. Prior authorization may have been granted or assumed in family situations, which may not be considered motor-vehicle theft.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A joyrider is not as sophisticated as a thief, and <\/span>joyriding<\/b><\/a> is considered a less serious offense. Convicts of car theft can receive sentences of up to 15 years in Massachusetts, but joyriding punishment is less severe.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is how joyriding may look like:<\/span><\/p>\n