If I bailed someone out in CA, do they have the legal obligation to pay me back? Refrences needed!?

Question

I bailed my girlfriend out of jail for 4,100 dollars with my own credit card. Now we are broken up and she refuses to pay more than minimum payments while she has a new expensive car loan and high insurance which equals 600 dollars a month. Also will minimum payments hurt my credit score?

Answer 1

It is unclear from your question whether you posted bail of $4,100 or you bought a bail bond which cost $4,100. If you posted bail, then if she makes all her appearances that money will be returned to you, not her. If you bought a bond, it is not refundable, it is a purchase price. Unless you made some sort of agreement with her that it was a loan, she has no legal duty to pay you back.

Answer 2

Unless you can prove she agreed to pay it back sooner (in writing) you are pretty much stuck with the tab. Minimum payments won't hurt your credit except to show that your card has a high balance. It will also be inconvenient for you, as now that money is tied up and not available for you if you need it. This might be an expensive lesson learned-but it sounds like you are well rid of this girlfriend.

Answer 3

You will get your money back when your gf shows up in court. Minimum payments won't hurt you credit.

Answer 4

Unless you had some sort of written statement that the both of you signed stating she will pay you back the money, she has no legal obligation to pay you back. You can always sue her in small claims court to see what happens.

Answer 5

Assuming you didn't get anything in writing from her, take the minimum payments and be happy with that.

If you go to court over it, she's going to say "I didn't ask him to do it, he volunteered. I'd have just stayed in jail until the hearing." and the Judge will say "case dismissed."

If you did it for your own reasons and not because she asked you to (as in "can PROVE she asked you to") you won't get a judgment in your favor.