If I was given permission to use a credit card that belongs to my mother in law, can she do anything to me for not paying the bill?
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If I was given permission to use a credit card that belongs to my mother in law, can she do anything to me for not paying the bill?
She was going to let us live in a house that she had for free. We were given a date to move in. We gave notice to our land lord that we would be moving. When it came time to move, the land lord had another couple ready to move in so we had to move. The house was not ready to move to yet. She gave us a credit card to get a hotel room until the house was ready since we had to move. We verbally agreed to pay it since we would be living there for free. I was 9 months pregnant at time. 3 weeks after moving into the house we came to visit my parents in another state. She turned the power off in the house.
Asked on October 14, 2012 under Bankruptcy Law, Mississippi
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
If you had agreed--including a verbal or oral agreement--to pay the credit card bill, if you do not pay, she could sue. If she can prove in court by a "preponderance" of the evidence--or that it is more likely than not--that you agreed to pay this amount, she would be able to get a judgement against you; if you do not pay the judgment, she could garnish wages, execute on property or a bank account you own, or simply wait to enforce the judgment at a later date, when you are in better financial shape. An unpaid judgment will also damage your credit.
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