I would really like to know for sure what Florida law is -- ex-fiance wants ring back after 3 years later (which I sold to pay property taxes 2 years ago!). He is married to someone else and is suing me now!

I would really like to know for sure what Florida law is -- ex-fiance wants ring back after 3 years later (which I sold to pay property taxes 2 years ago!). He is married to someone else and is suing me now!



From everything I find in Florida it's a matter of a Judge making a decision on a case by case basis, unlike other States where there is actual law.

The various sites say it depends on the reason for the broken engagement (his fault, her fault, her broke it off, she broke it off) but there is no conclusive law.

This should also be separated and not piggybacked.

Check into the statute of limitations. Did he request it back before? In most states, the ring's possession would be contingent on the marriage taking place, and would have to be returned if the marriage was cancelled. But if after all this time he's just now asking for it back, perhaps you would not be held responsible for returning it - it could probably be considered abandoned at that point.

If he's been asking and you've been refusing, you'll probably have to pay him the value of the ring.

Check into the statute of limitations. Did he request it back before? In most states, the ring's possession would be contingent on the marriage taking place, and would have to be returned if the marriage was cancelled. But if after all this time he's just now asking for it back, perhaps you would not be held responsible for returning it - it could probably be considered abandoned at that point.

If he's been asking and you've been refusing, you'll probably have to pay him the value of the ring.


Statutes concern debt, not the return of personal property. Florida deals with these cases on a case-by-case basis, no set law, no rule of thumb.

I'm with you about being curious to know when he asked for it, why he's suing now - ?

If it's gone, it's gone and the Judge may very well decide this should have been settled long ago.