What is "trover"

Trover \Tro"ver\ (tr[=o]"v[~e]r), n. [OF. trover, truver, to find, F. trouver; probably originally, to invent or compose (melodies), fr. (assumed) LL. tropare. See Troubadour, Trope, and cf. Contrive, Reirieve, Trouveur.] (Law)

1. The gaining possession of any goods, whether by finding or by other means.

2. An action to recover damages against one who found goods, and would not deliver them to the owner on demand; an action which lies in any case to recover the value of goods wrongfully converted by another to his own use. In this case the finding, though alleged, is an immaterial fact; the injury lies in the conversion.

Trover is a form of lawsuit in common-law countries for recovery of damages for wrongful taking of personal property. Trover belongs to a series of remedies for such wrongful taking, its distinctive feature being recovery only for the value of whatever was taken, not for the recovery of the property itself (see replevin).