What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Ohio
I am 22 years old, and have lived on my own since I was 17 when my parents kicked me out of their house. I work a full time job and support myself. For 2 years after I moved out, I helped my parents financially any time they would ask (which was quite often as neither of them work.) Today, I got papers saying that I have to be in court in October because my parents are suing me for over $4000.00.
Here is what they are suing me for: $140 for a cell phone bill that is several years old. This, I admit is money that I do owe my parents. The short story is that they were angry with me, I was angry with them, and I didn't pay the bill. They, in turn, shut the phone off - which they had every right to do - and I should have given them the money for it.
I own 2 cars. They aren't the best cars in the world, but I bought them both and hold the titles to both of them. My parents were without a vehicle early last year, so I let them borrow one of my cars. I continued to pay the insurance because I knew they could not afford it. My other car had to go into the shop for repairs 3 months ago, so I told my parents I would need my other car back temporarily so I could make it to work every day. They refused to give it back to me. Things got ugly, and I called the sheriff's office. An officer accompanied me to my parents house only to find that the car was not there. My father had hidden it and claimed he didn't have it. The officer advised me to report the car as stolen, which I did. My parents admitted then to having the car, but said they had done some damage to it and wanted to fix it before giving it back to me. They supposedly paid $250 to fix the car, and are now refusing the give it back again. They are now suing me for either the title to the car, or $250.00 because they feel that since they paid $250.00 to fix it, it should now be theirs.
The final thing they are suing me for is because I caused them "undue stress" with the whole car situation. They are asking for $3000.00 for their "stress". Plus, they are asking for attorney fees.
I am currently pregnant. It is a high risk pregnancy, and I have to see a specialist every week. My parents are aware of this...and yet they are suing me. I don't have the money to hire an attorney, and I don't know what to do. I am willing to give them the $140 for the cell phone bill, but I don't feel I owe them anything else. I want my car back. I don't feel I owe them for the the car. I pay the insurance on it, was nice enough to let them borrow it, they broke it. Just because they spent $250 fixing it doesn't mean it is now their car. If you break something that belongs to someone else, you should pay to fix it. And I sure don't feel that I owe them $3000 for stressing them out.
Can someone please tell me what to do?
I am 22 years old, and have lived on my own since I was 17 when my parents kicked me out of their house. I work a full time job and support myself. For 2 years after I moved out, I helped my parents financially any time they would ask (which was quite often as neither of them work.) Today, I got papers saying that I have to be in court in October because my parents are suing me for over $4000.00.
Here is what they are suing me for: $140 for a cell phone bill that is several years old. This, I admit is money that I do owe my parents. The short story is that they were angry with me, I was angry with them, and I didn't pay the bill. They, in turn, shut the phone off - which they had every right to do - and I should have given them the money for it.
I own 2 cars. They aren't the best cars in the world, but I bought them both and hold the titles to both of them. My parents were without a vehicle early last year, so I let them borrow one of my cars. I continued to pay the insurance because I knew they could not afford it. My other car had to go into the shop for repairs 3 months ago, so I told my parents I would need my other car back temporarily so I could make it to work every day. They refused to give it back to me. Things got ugly, and I called the sheriff's office. An officer accompanied me to my parents house only to find that the car was not there. My father had hidden it and claimed he didn't have it. The officer advised me to report the car as stolen, which I did. My parents admitted then to having the car, but said they had done some damage to it and wanted to fix it before giving it back to me. They supposedly paid $250 to fix the car, and are now refusing the give it back again. They are now suing me for either the title to the car, or $250.00 because they feel that since they paid $250.00 to fix it, it should now be theirs.
The final thing they are suing me for is because I caused them "undue stress" with the whole car situation. They are asking for $3000.00 for their "stress". Plus, they are asking for attorney fees.
I am currently pregnant. It is a high risk pregnancy, and I have to see a specialist every week. My parents are aware of this...and yet they are suing me. I don't have the money to hire an attorney, and I don't know what to do. I am willing to give them the $140 for the cell phone bill, but I don't feel I owe them anything else. I want my car back. I don't feel I owe them for the the car. I pay the insurance on it, was nice enough to let them borrow it, they broke it. Just because they spent $250 fixing it doesn't mean it is now their car. If you break something that belongs to someone else, you should pay to fix it. And I sure don't feel that I owe them $3000 for stressing them out.
Can someone please tell me what to do?
