The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court recently made a landmark decision regarding a $70,000 engagement ring at the center of a dispute between former couple Bruce Johnson and Caroline Settino. The court overruled a six-decade-old state rule that focused on assigning blame for the end of a relationship, stating that the ring must be returned to the purchaser.
Johnson proposed to Settino in 2017 with the expensive ring, but the engagement ended due to various issues, including Settino’s alleged infidelity. Ownership of the ring was unclear, leading to a legal battle. Despite a trial judge initially ruling in Settino’s favor, an appeals court decided Johnson should get the ring.
In September, the case reached the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, which ultimately ruled in Johnson’s favor. The court stated that when a wedding does not occur, fault should not determine ownership rights over engagement rings. This decision aligns Massachusetts law with the majority of jurisdictions that have abandoned the fault-based approach in such cases.
Both parties’ lawyers expressed their reactions to the ruling, with Johnson’s lawyer praising the decision for moving Massachusetts law in the right direction, while Settino’s lawyer expressed disappointment but respect for the court’s decision. There is hope that this ruling will modernize the legal understanding of engagement rings as conditional gifts, removing outdated notions and legal loopholes.
Overall, this decision represents a significant shift in Massachusetts law regarding engagement rings and sets a precedent for future cases involving similar disputes.
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