Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Washington
My responsibility for another adults debt.
Last year my youngest daughter (27) had a cat that got sick and it was required to be put to sleep. The cat had originally been mine, but the for the past 6 years has been maintained and licensed by my youngest daughter. She only makes minimum wage so from time to time I have assisted her with the bills, as has her older sister. In this case, the older sister paid the bill, now she is coming to me demanding that I repay the debt Older sister)- she says that the cat is legally mine and she will sue me in small claims court if I fail to pay her back. Is this in fact my responsibility?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: My responsibility for another adults debt.
Is your older daughter wearing a judge's robe such that she gets to pronounce the ownership of the cat? No. She's voicing a legal opinion. Put two lawyers in a room and you can get three legal opinions, easy.
I think what she's trying to point out is that the sibling who never owned the cat nonetheless paid the bills, even though she has no duty to do so.
The persons who owned the cat are obligated to pay the vet bills. That's you and your younger daughter. You could be jointly and severally liable. Or not. A court could find that because she had assumed the care of the cat six years ago, that the obligation became entirely hers by the passage of time.
Court could find that because you did not object when the bill was incurred the responsibility is yours.
Fact of the matter is that the vet deserves to be paid. If your oldest sues both of you she will prevail on her claim, and you and youngest can decide who will pay what share or proportion.
Or if you paid you could sue your youngest to pay you back.
Seems awfully over the top for a vet bill. Hope this helps. Powell
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