Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Virginia

Re: Deal broken, am I entitled to getting reimbursed?

The the legal theory of when an agreement is

legally enforceable, including in court, is an

interesting one. In general, there must be a

two-way promise, a quid-pro-quo. A promise to

simply give something in one direction is not

an enforceable contract. The promise must be

given in exchange for a return promise back or

something of value given back. A contract is when

you say I would not make this promise if you did

not give me your promise back in exchange.

A gift is usually not legally enforceable. I think that a trip planned together as friends

would be considered as a gift from you to your

girlfriend. Therefore, I do not think it is

legally enforceable.

After that, she verbally promised to reimburse

you. A verbal, unwritten promise IS enforceable

if you can prove that the promise was actually

made. The problem with verbal contracts is

proving that there really is an agreement, not

with the legal theory of a verbal agreement.

However again, her promise is not a quid-pro-quo.

She was simply volunteering to give you money.

There is not a contract that says I promise to do

this in return for you doing that. Therefore I

think that her promise would also be treated as

a promise to make a gift, not

Now, it might be different if the agreement was

(and you could prove it) that you were merely

making the travel arrangements but she had always

agreed to pay her own expenses of the trip. If

you were advancing (loaning) the money to purchase

her tickets and arrangements, then you would be

entitled to what she had always agreed, to pay

you for the expenses, since you never intended to

shoulder those costs but were simply doing the

administrative work of making the arrangements for

her. But again the problem with verbal

agreements is proving what the agreement was.

Sadly, if a woman would do this to you and leave

you holding the bag with these expenses, you have

probably found out that this is not a relationship

that you want to be involved in. It could have

been a lot more expensive, especially if you had

got married before finding out that she is that

kind of person.

Re: Deal broken, am I entitled to getting reimbursed?

if you want to see what happens to these kinds of lawsuits, just watch Judge Judy or Judge whoever. Thank yourself the relationship didn't go any farther.