Used Cars: cant get the title help, poor decision, lein

Question
my friend purchased a vehicle from a guy and he was to pay off the lean holder and mail the title. so i then purchased the vehicle from my friend a couple days after he bought it, and the title was supposed to be in the mail. so i then sold the vehicle to a guy and i told him i would mail the title to him and stated in the bill of sale i would mail title. well i call the original owner and there is still a lean holder on he doesnt know when he can get around to paying it off. what do i do? is my friend and i in trouble for selling a vehicle without getting the title? all info greatly appreciated. the guy i sold to is saying hes about to take me to court

Answer
Wow.. that was hard to keep track of... well you need to get that title.. I doubt what you did was illegal- but it was a poor decision.  You may end up taking the original owner to court and let the court make him pay off the lein... you shouldn't have sold the vehicle without the title.. and they other guy shouldn't have bought it... its hard to say how this would go in court... you may be forced to buy the vehicle back.. and then you will have to take the original owner to court... wow what a mess... I say you call the DMV, talk to them, find out if what you did was illegal, and if there is anything you can do without going through court... if that gets you no where - you will have to take the owner to court to get the title... and talk tot he person you sold it to - explain the situation and your mistake - see if that will buy you some time - explain that you are going to take him to court for the title... it will keep you from dealing with two law suites at once... So call the DMV, talk to them and find out as much as you can about the legalities of your situation, and hope that you don't have to take it to court.... Sorry I couldn't help more, but ultimately they would know far more than anyone who doesn't work there about this sort of thing.  Good luck.