Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Georgia

Car loan for ex in my name.....

I tried to keep this short, there are a lot of trivial facts I'm leaving out.

Ex boyfriend needed a car, he had a bankruptcy on his credit. With a verbal agreement that he would make all the loan payments, the insurance premiums and if our relationship ended he would put the vehicle and/or loan in his name ... I allowed the loan to be under my name.

The relationship ended 4 months later....The following month I took the vehicle back because he said he could not make the monthly payments anymore and could not get a loan amount large enough to payoff the one in my name. I sold the car at a 13k loss, 13k I had to borrow to pay off the loan in addition to what was offered for the vehicle... I was upside down.

Can I sue for the 13k; the payments I made when he wouldn't or couldn't (but I had the vehicle); insurance premiums until it was sold; and court fees/attorney fees? I know I can sue but would I be successful? And he lives in a different state then I do, will that make it difficult for me? What is a ballpark amount an attorney would charge me for this type of case?

Thanks in advance for any and all info you can give me.


Asked on 9/17/08, 3:23 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Glen Ashman Ashman Law Office also dba Glen Ashman Attorney

Re: Car loan for ex in my name.....

You'd likely have to sue him in his state. Legal fees for simple suits easily could be $5000-$10000 or even far more so your legal fees could be more than your "damages." Additionally, if you sue, you have no proof of any contract, so at best you have a difficult case. It is NEVER a good idea to do what you did, and doing it without a lawyer drawing a contract is an even worse idea.

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Answered on 9/17/08, 9:03 pm


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