The porn was not illegal, so there's no requirement that the parents destroy it. But it was made clear to the son that it would not be tolerated in the house.
However, since the son was in effect a paying tenant -- doing work in lieu of cash rent -- he had all of a tenant's rights, including a right to privacy.
I suspect the court will decide in favor of the parents, but I'd be interested to know the judge's rationale.
He sounds like a pervert, Jim.
I don’t know what the law says but if his father told him if he brought porn into his house he would destroy it then his father is on pretty firm ground!!!
He left it behind when he vacated. Whatever you leave behind can be disposed of by the landlord.
Highly doubtful.
The landlords destroyed $29K worth of their tenant's personal property without his knowledge or consent. Their aversion to the character of his belongings is a moot point. They had no right to do what they did.
The court is going to find for the tenant.
Any moral context aside, I suspect the judge will ask several questions. The first of these was he staying at their residence with a written agreement, and did that agreement, oral or written, specify labor instead of payment for his tenancy?
Since he was married, the assumption was that he was legally an adult, and no longer under his parent’s supervision.
That he was in possession of something which was forbidden by his parents, their legal action was to kick him out, not to destroy it. Legally it doesn’t matter what it is. So by destroying his property, whatever it is, they are open to liability for its value.
MY house——MY rules.
Wait until the creep gets a look at his parents new will.
if this is an old collection with pre 1976 movies there is a good chance some of the porn has under age participants. enforcement of laws prohibiting those who were under age was spotty at best and most movie porn was produced over seas and shipped in to the united states from Sweden and Denmark with the bulk being under age. the best result probably it being destroyed.