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California Penal Code Section 538

Legal Research Home > California Lawyer > Penal Code > California Penal Code Section 538

Every person, who, after mortgaging any of the property
permitted to be mortgaged by the provisions of Sections 9102 and 9109
of the Commercial Code, excepting locomotives, engines, rolling
stock of a railroad, steamboat machinery in actual use, and vessels,
during the existence of the mortgage, with intent to defraud the
mortgagee, his or her representative or assigns, takes, drives,
carries away, or otherwise removes or permits the taking, driving, or
carrying away, or other removal of the mortgaged property, or any
part thereof, from the county where it was situated when mortgaged,
without the written consent of the mortgagee, or who sells,
transfers, slaughters, destroys, or in any manner further encumbers
the mortgaged property, or any part thereof, or causes it to be sold,
transferred, slaughtered, destroyed, or further encumbered, is
guilty of theft, and is punishable accordingly.  In the case of a
sale, transfer, or further encumbrance at or before the time of
making the sale, transfer, or encumbrance, the mortgagor informs the
person to whom the sale, transfer, or encumbrance is made, of the
existence of the prior mortgage, and also informs the prior mortgagee
of the intended sale, transfer, or encumbrance, in writing, by
giving the name and place of residence of the party to whom the sale,
transfer, or encumbrance is to be made.

Last modified: January 12, 2009