If your spouse has legal fees that are not paid and then they die are you legally responsible for their fines?

Question

They wouldn't ask you to finish their jail sentence if they died in jail before they finished serving all of their time and aren't the fines incurred part of the sentence?

Answer 1

You are a little confusing ... I'm not sure if you're talking about "legal fees" or "criminal fines". I would think that the "fines" would not survive the offender, as there wasn't any benefit derived from the unpaid fines by the decedent or his estate. "Legal fees" on the other hand, such as an attorneys bill, would be assessable against the estate of the decedent, since he did receive benefit of legal representation. I personally would just mark the outside of the envelope addressed to him from whomever is trying to collect, Addressee Deceased. If they still want to collect they'll file a judgment against the estate. Of course this is assuming that you did not sign any obligation as a responsible party in the event that your spouse defaulted.

Answer 2

I have to agree with Jim, as long as the are fines towards that person, then you have no obligation. If they are attorneys fee's, in her defense, as long as you didn't sign anything, I think you would be in the clear.........I could be wrong about that though:-(

Answer 3

Fines are different. Those still have to be paid by the estate.

Answer 4

No. They are a general debt of the decedent's estate and are payable from his assets.

Other debts would have priority, including the family exemption and funeral expenses.

Answer 5

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