Detinue claims entitlement to some personal property (i.e., "stuff") wrongfully kept or detained by someone other than the owner. The issue in detinue is not so much how the non-owner got the property but the fact that they wrongfully kept it after it came into their possession.
The plaintiff needs to 1) describe the property 2) show that the defendant unjustly detains the property 3) prove the value of the property and/or damages.
You can do further research at either your county or state law library. While I hope the above general information helps, it doesn't take the place of independent legal advice on the specifics of your situation.
