2.9 Finder of Lost Goods

2.9.1 MeaningA person who finds goods belonging to another and takes them into his custody becomes, in law, a bailee of the finder's own making — the law imposes bailment-like duties on him toward the true owner even though no contract was ever made (a quasi-contractual bond — the Code's Chapter on indirect/quasi-contracts (Part 5, Chapter 15) frames such obligation-creating facts).2.9.2 Rights and Duties of the FinderRights: to retain the goods against the owner until his reasonable expenses of safekeeping (and any lawful reward the owner offered — advertised rewards bind on tender with the goods) are paid; a lien for those charges; to sell the goods if the owner is not found within a reasonable time or the goods are perishable or the keeping cost exceeds their value (accretion of accounts). Duties: to take reasonable care; to try to find the owner (deposit with police or give public notice — Nepal's practice); to return the goods to the owner on claim; not to convert (using or selling wrongly invites the criminal law's face — the Criminal Code 2074's misappropriation and failure-to-return provisions by name; see Criminal Law-II, LAW5301, Semester 4). Position vs. thetrue owner: the finder's rights are good against the whole world except the true owner — he acquires no title against him (the Armory line by name…