What occurs when personal property is taken from the owner and transferred to someone else without permission?

When personal property is taken from the owner and transferred to someone else without permission, this situation is referred to as conversion. Conversion is a legal term used to describe an act that deprives an owner of their personal property, effectively denying them control or use of it. This can occur through theft, misappropriation, or unauthorized handling of the property.

The essential element of conversion is that the act is intentional and results in the unauthorized interference with the property rights of the owner. Once conversion occurs, the original owner has the right to seek damages, which are typically assessed based on the value of the property at the time of the conversion.

In this context, the focus on property rights and the unauthorized actions taken against the owner's interests underscore why conversion is the correct answer. Understanding this concept is pivotal in business law, as it ties directly to ownership rights and the legal protections available to individuals and businesses against unlawful interference with their property.