Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in Louisiana

Re: Liability of bills paid by girlfriend

Dear Friend,

Boy, this is an interesting and difficult question! I assume that this took place in Louisiana. The answer--at least my answer--assuming that you did not ask her to pay your bills and did not offer to reimburse her expenses, you certainly can assume that these payments are donations of which you have no obligation to return. There is a section in the LOUISIANA CIVIL CODE that deals with "unjust enrichment", which forms a type of "quasi-contract" that may provide by operation of law an "obligation" on your part to reimburse her for the amount you have been "unjustifiably enriched"; however, where she did what she did simply out of the "goodness of her heart", you were not necessarily "unjustifiably enriched"; for even Christ said, "Give and ye shall receive!" So the law should certainly, and does, in my opinion, encourage one to be charitable and to "give" to those in need. Now, if you two had entered into an unwritten "partnership" whereby you agreed to share bills between you; then, although you have received the best end of the partnership "agreement"; nevertheless, you might then, upon the termination of the "partnership", be obligated to reimburse her for her contribution to the partnership that was in excess of your own. Again, this is a complicated question, the type that a law student is likely to encounter on a law school examination, or a law school graduate on the Bar Exam.

Best of luck to you and her! Hope you come out all right on this matter.

With kindest regards, I am

Sincerely,

Hardy Parkerson, Atty.

Lake Charles, LA 70601

[email protected].