Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in Massachusetts

Re: check bounce

You will not get the check back until you have paid whatever the check was issued for plus bounced check charges paid by the payee. The canceled check will be needed for any lawsuit filed to recover those amounts.

If you have paid up, the payee should return the check to you.

If the check only bounced a short time ago, the payee may try to resubmit it for payment, unless you have made other arrangements.

If you issued the check knowing you had insufficient funds, to a merchant for goods or services, the merchant can bring criminal charges, which again would require retaining the check.

If you want me to negotiate with the payee to settle this, my fee will be $250, and it cannot be paid by check, plus detailed information about the transaction and payee and a release for me to talk to your bank and the payee.