Sister not paying debt

[brains9111]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida.

My sister and i moved to an appartment together to save money. All food/bills, etc were paid avenly. However over a little more than 2 years there was numerous instances where one would pay the full amount, holding the receipt to then be paid back later (ex: taco bell, i = $2, she = $5, i pay $7, receipt shows she owes $5). She doesnt have good record keeping, so the majority of time i did the paying so there could be no back and forth (like: u owe me $500, but i dont have proof of it). After finally totaling all the receipts up (12 hours spread through 3 days), she owes me around $12,000. I have voice recording of her saying she will pay me back. Her personality is that say she has spare money, rather than pay me back or eat cheap food like rice she'd get pizza. She has 6 cats, a dog, and a 5ish month old baby (only supposed to have 1 pet, one of many reasons i moved out a little while ago). She doesnt make too much money (can cover whats needed with some extra). She doesnt seem like shes going to pay me back (maybe years from now decide to), thinking when its convienent for her to pay back, rather than it being a loan (kind of) which you pay back as soon as you can. Because she technically has my money, im lowish on funds. The question is: is there any way i can sue her where the court requires her to pay money back in installments, like taking out of her paycheck so she doesnt spend it instead of returning it, etc. Something like child support, student loans type of thing. Thanks for the help.

 

[LdiJ]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida.

My sister and i moved to an appartment together to save money. All food/bills, etc were paid avenly. However over a little more than 2 years there was numerous instances where one would pay the full amount, holding the receipt to then be paid back later (ex: taco bell, i = $2, she = $5, i pay $7, receipt shows she owes $5). She doesnt have good record keeping, so the majority of time i did the paying so there could be no back and forth (like: u owe me $500, but i dont have proof of it). After finally totaling all the receipts up (12 hours spread through 3 days), she owes me around $12,000. I have voice recording of her saying she will pay me back. Her personality is that say she has spare money, rather than pay me back or eat cheap food like rice she'd get pizza. She has 6 cats, a dog, and a 5ish month old baby (only supposed to have 1 pet, one of many reasons i moved out a little while ago). She doesnt make too much money (can cover whats needed with some extra). She doesnt seem like shes going to pay me back (maybe years from now decide to), thinking when its convienent for her to pay back, rather than it being a loan (kind of) which you pay back as soon as you can. Because she technically has my money, im lowish on funds. The question is: is there any way i can sue her where the court requires her to pay money back in installments, like taking out of her paycheck so she doesnt spend it instead of returning it, etc. Something like child support, student loans type of thing. Thanks for the help.

Let me make sure that I understand. You are talking about small amounts of money spent by you, over time, where your sister said that she would pay you back but never did, and it all adds up to 12,000? You would have to prove, for each and every receipt, that she agreed to pay you back. I do not see how you can do that. Its your word against hers. Suing her would also cause some pretty serious riffs in your family.

 

[quincy]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida.

My sister and i moved to an appartment together to save money. All food/bills, etc were paid avenly. However over a little more than 2 years there was numerous instances where one would pay the full amount, holding the receipt to then be paid back later (ex: taco bell, i = $2, she = $5, i pay $7, receipt shows she owes $5). She doesnt have good record keeping, so the majority of time i did the paying so there could be no back and forth (like: u owe me $500, but i dont have proof of it). After finally totaling all the receipts up (12 hours spread through 3 days), she owes me around $12,000. I have voice recording of her saying she will pay me back. Her personality is that say she has spare money, rather than pay me back or eat cheap food like rice she'd get pizza. She has 6 cats, a dog, and a 5ish month old baby (only supposed to have 1 pet, one of many reasons i moved out a little while ago). She doesnt make too much money (can cover whats needed with some extra). She doesnt seem like shes going to pay me back (maybe years from now decide to), thinking when its convienent for her to pay back, rather than it being a loan (kind of) which you pay back as soon as you can. Because she technically has my money, im lowish on funds. The question is: is there any way i can sue her where the court requires her to pay money back in installments, like taking out of her paycheck so she doesnt spend it instead of returning it, etc. Something like child support, student loans type of thing. Thanks for the help.

There is a $5000 limit for small claims actions in Florida. http://flcourts.org/resources-and-services/family-courts/family-law-self-help-information/small-claims.stml

Collecting on any judgment you might be awarded (and you being successful with an action is a question mark) will be up to you. It sounds as if collecting any money from your sister will be difficult at best.

Good luck.

 

[brains9111]

Thanks, was pretty sure it was a losing battle, just hoped someone might have some method to resolve (doesn't seem so). As for rifts, im fine with never seeing her again (not that i hate her, just her personality, how she lives, pretty much most about her, is just not worth dealing with, deletable)