16-714. Loans secured by pledged goods; written contract required, contents; retention, disposition and redemption of pledged articles. Every loan made by a pawnbroker for which goods are received in pledge as security shall be evidenced by a written contract, in ink, a copy of which shall be furnished to the borrower. The loan contract shall set forth the loan period, which shall be one (1) month, the date on which the loan is due and payable and the charges, and it shall clearly inform the borrower of his right to redeem the pledge during the redemption period of two (2) months after due date. Except as otherwise provided herein, the holder of any such contract shall be presumed to be the person entitled to redeem the pledge, and the pawnbroker shall deliver the pledge to the person presenting the contract, upon payment of the principal and charges.

Every pawnbroker shall retain in his possession, after the date on which the loan became due and payable, every article pledged to him for a redemption period of two (2) months. During such period, the borrower may redeem the pledged articles, upon payment of the principal and charges. It shall be unlawful for any pawnbroker to sell or transfer title or possession of any pledged property until the expiration of such period of redemption.

If any pledged article is not redeemed within such redemption period, the pawnbroker shall become vested with all right, title and interest of the pledgor, or his assigns, to such pledged article, to hold and dispose of as his own property. Any other provision of law relating to the foreclosure and sale of pledges shall not be applicable to any pledge, the title to which is transferred in accordance with this section.

History: L. 1972, ch. 51, § 9; July 1.