We do live together and he knows where I keep my jewelry. When I broke off the engagement, I gave the ring back. A couple weeks ago he returned it to me saying he never wanted it back. I placed it in my jewelry drawer. 5 days ago I told him it was over for good that even though we love each other we just cant live together. I went on a 3 day trip and when I came back it was gone. I know it is appropiate for the girl to return the ring if you don't get married, but it is up to me to give it back to him. I told him that until I give it back, it is mine and that he has stolen it. He kept saying we should sell it and split the money. I have insisted he return it and he then said it is at his Dad's where no one can find it. I think he may have already sold it or pawned it otherwise he would tell me exactly where it is as I told him that I could report it as stolen. What should I do?
2007-03-05 09:06:47 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
You did give it back to him once. I don't think it was right of him to steal it back, but you have to decide whether you want to make it a legal matter or just let things drop and move on with your life.
People rarely look back and regret taking the high road.
2007-03-05 09:11:21 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm not a lawyer, (though I do have many friends who are junior law majors) but I do know a fair amount of laws on the subject. I'm not sure how the laws work in other states, but in the one that I live in (CT) the ring is the property of the person who bought it unless it was given to the recipient (you) on a holiday, whether it be your birthday (or perhaps even his) or Christmas, Easter, Valentines Day, Ramadan, Hanuka, Kwanzaa, what-have-you, within which holiday it is customary to exchange gifts. Because it was in your drawer, though, then that would be an unlawful (re)seizure on his part. I'm not sure if it's worth going to court over for you, but you might be able to. I don't know the whole situation, of course, so there could be some other circumstance that he could jump at, but from this info. it looks like you have the upper hand, judiciously. Other than that, I'm not sure what else to say.
Good luck! I hope this is resolved well! The worst thing that can happen to a relationship is to end on a sour note.
2007-03-05 09:23:48 · answer #2 · answered by prince_of_thebes87 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There was a court case on just this topic recently. The court found that even if the person who buys the ring is the one who calls off the wedding, the other party is still obligated to return it. Since you broke things off there is no question that the ring belongs to him--assuming he bought it. Should he have taken it without informing you? No. But I think this ring is just a convenient thing to get angry about. I know you ended things, but that doesn't mean you're not hurting too. Let the ring go. It'll be much more fruitful to talk with him about what's really bothering you--all the reasons why you decided you didn't want to marry him.
2007-03-05 09:30:09 · answer #3 · answered by JD 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the engagement is over, you have no legal title to the ring. An engagement ring is conditional gift based on the condition that you two become married. It is almost like consideration for a legal contract. Since the condition of marriage never occurred, you have no legal claim to the ring, meaning that he did not steal the ring, but recovered his personal property. What he does with the ring, whether he pawns it, gives it to a friend, sells it on the Internet, etc. is up to him.
2007-03-05 09:15:01 · answer #4 · answered by msi_cord 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In most states, the donor of the engagement ring is entitled to the return of the ring even if the donor broke the engagement. This means that no matter whose fault it was that the engagement broke up, the person who gave the ring gets it back and has all property rights to it.
This means that he did not steal the ring from you - for legal purposes it was always his and would not become yours until you actually got married.
(i know, it sucks)
2007-03-05 13:44:11 · answer #5 · answered by trying000 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would think you have two options. One would be to let him go and he can take the ring with him. After all if your not ready to commit why drag it out. The ring would only remind you of him and is it REALLY worth the money you would get at the pawn shop? Or... you could take him back and recover your ring. Sally Jesse Raphael use to say "Ex's are ex's for a reason". Hope that helps.
2007-03-05 09:21:08 · answer #6 · answered by Karen S 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, since you broke it off, he didn't steal anything. He retrieved his property from you while you were gone. Now you two need to move to seperate places and get on with life.
2007-03-05 09:26:41 · answer #7 · answered by pedohunter1488 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Let it go. For real. You were going to give it back anyway. It's all out of being petty. Be the bigger person and let it go, and him as well.
2007-03-05 09:11:30 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
If it is really over, i think you should move on. All you are doing now is making more reasons to continue to see and speak with him. Are you sure its over?
2007-03-05 09:10:15 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
it would be impossible for you to prove it was yours over his in court anyway. did he buy it & have a receipt for it? then he could claim it was his - it'll be he said v. she said in court, so it wouldn't be worth your time, cuz if he ended up winning anyway, then you could get stuck with court fees too. just drop it & move on if your really done with him.
2007-03-05 09:17:15 · answer #10 · answered by jack spicer 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋