Can you go to jail for not paying a bill?

What is the name of your state? Washington

I did a fundraiser for my dance school selling flowers all the money raised went towards the show........... plus all the money that was to use to pay off the invoice for the flowers. The invoice was due January 10th. We don't have the money as of yet to pay this bill off and I told the company that and hadn't heard from them for three months. Yesterday I got a call from our local shrieff office saying they got a complaint from this company and they are going to investigate. ( I live in a very small town so the shrieff office has nothing to do)

I am trying to get a business loan to pay this off but due to my divorce I might not be able to. Can I go to jail or charges be brought up against me for not paying this bill on time? The total amout of the invoice is $2,247.00.

mysticarts said:

What is the name of your state? Washington

I did a fundraiser for my dance school selling flowers all the money raised went towards the show........... plus all the money that was to use to pay off the invoice for the flowers. The invoice was due January 10th. We don't have the money as of yet to pay this bill off and I told the company that and hadn't heard from them for three months. Yesterday I got a call from our local shrieff office saying they got a complaint from this company and they are going to investigate. ( I live in a very small town so the shrieff office has nothing to do)

I am trying to get a business loan to pay this off but due to my divorce I might not be able to. Can I go to jail or charges be brought up against me for not paying this bill on time? The total amout of the invoice is $2,247.00.

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You have not described "not paying a bill."

You have described "theft by deceit."

You may be going to jail.

seniorjudge said:

You have not described "not paying a bill."

You have described "theft by deceit."

You may be going to jail.

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How is it theft by deceit????

mysticarts said:

How is it theft by deceit????

Click to expand...

http://www.mrsc.org/mc/rcw/rcw 9A title/rcw 9A. 56 chapter/rcw 9A. 56 .020.htm

If I call your flower shop and say, "Send my sweetie a dozen roses," and I have no intention of paying for those roses, that is theft by deceit.

It is proved by circumstantial evidence. In your case, the government would have to prove that you had no way of paying for the stuff when you ordered it and, further, that you have not paid for it and do not intend to pay for it.

The state would also have to show what you did with the dough from the dance show. If whatever you did with that dough would show that you did not intend to pay the bills you have obligated yourself to, then that would be a further nail in your coffin.


RCW 9A.56.020
Theft -- Definition, defense.
(1) "Theft" means:

(a) To wrongfully obtain or exert unauthorized control over the property or services of another or the value thereof, with intent to deprive him or her of such property or services; or

(b) By color or aid of deception to obtain control over the property or services of another or the value thereof, with intent to deprive him or her of such property or services; or

(c) To appropriate lost or misdelivered property or services of another, or the value thereof, with intent to deprive him or her of such property or services.

(2) In any prosecution for theft, it shall be a sufficient defense that:

(a) The property or service was appropriated openly and avowedly under a claim of title made in good faith, even though the claim be untenable; or

(b) The property was merchandise pallets that were received by a pallet recycler or repairer in the ordinary course of its business.


[2004 c 122 § 1; 1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 38 § 9; 1975 1st ex.s. c 260 § 9A.56.020.]

NOTES:


Effective date -- Severability -- 1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 38: See notes following RCW 9A.08.020.


Civil action for shoplifting by adults, minors: RCW 4.24.230.

Thanks for the information.......I want to and currently working on getting a way to pay the bill. I never WASN'T going to pay it. I just saw the invoice as another bill needing to be paid off like you would a charged item. I've never had the shrieff called on me for being late paying any bill. I'm going to see if I can even scrape a few hundred dollars together and send them until I can get a larger loan. I just over spent on the show and when the show was over I realized OH NO we still have this invoice to pay. I know this is a big screwed up and looking back now I should of got a revolving line of credit before the show to cover all these exspenses including this invoice.

I'm a single mother and I can't go to jail or even to court in this small town. I will be ruined. Is this a felony? What is the maximum punishment. NOT that I'm going to let it go that far. I am scared sick because I just thought is was JUST A OVER DUE BILL!

As far as I know, you wont go to jail. They can send you to collections for the money, which will screw up your credit, but I think thats about all they can do.