[BCMA] Donation dispute

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.]

If legally acquired by the museum from an heir who received the medals from the original recipient or by inheritance, then the sister has no claim to them.   Veterans usually had miniatures as well as the full-sized medals and the sister might be advised to seek those.  Perhaps, the offer of a photo of the medals will mollify her.  The threat of a legal action may only be a bluff.  

Dr. Peter Moogk CD
Curator
15th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA, Museum
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From: bcma-bounces at lists.vifa.ca [bcma-bounces at lists.vifa.ca] on behalf of Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv. [bcma at lists.vifa.ca]
Sent: Monday, October 21, 2019 10:58 AM
To: bcma at lists.vifa.ca
Subject: [BCMA] Donation dispute

Seeking advice

We accepted a donation of WW1 metals from a granddaughter of the WW1combatant.  The sister of the donor has sent emails demanding we give the metals to her even threatening legal action.
>From the emails, the they to not get along. The sister didn't know the metals existed so I don't know how she found out we had just received them.
Our donation form has the line that the donor has the legal right to donate them to us.

Any advice how to deal with the situation?  If we give them back, I believe we need to give them to the donor, not the sister.  We don't have a legal dept.

Jim Millar
Port Moody Station Museum
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