Legal Question in Family Law in Oregon

Financial Responsibility

Am I responsible for the debts of my husband if they were used to by illegal drugs? Also, I made an effort to pay off some of his debts with my own credit thinking he was getting help, am I stuck with this debt in my name? He will not dispute it was to pay off his debts.


Asked on 9/15/03, 3:23 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Noel Snyder Law Office of Noel Snyder

Re: Financial Responsibility

Vicarious liability of a spouse for the debts of the other spouse only attaches to "family expenses". No court would recoginize illegal/recretional drugs as family expenses. The question I have is who are the creditors? Drug dealers or did he borrow money from a bank/cash advance ets. If it is a legitimate creditor they would have to prove that the proceeds of the loan benefit the family. As far as his debts that you assumed the third party creditor will be able to collect that from you, however in the context of divorce one of the task of the court is to equitably divide the assets and debts. It is likely that the court would order your husband to pay you back for his debts that you paid.

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Answered on 9/15/03, 6:01 pm


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