Required to pay REWARD??

[booboos]

State: Georgia
I left my wedding ring at a restaurant and suspect the waitress took it. I am putting up a reward offer, and I was wondering if I am legally required to pay it if it turns out the waitress returns it. I've already filed a police report and put an ad in the paper as well. Legally, just because someone offers a reward, does it mean they have to pay it? I don't want to give her the reward money because I think she's the one that stole it.

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

My response:

Unless you can prove that the waittress stole your ring, then you'd have to pay the reward. Your assumptions, presumptions, feelings, suspicions, etc. wouldn't hold any water.

An offer of reward is like any other offer to the general public; like a store coupon, or "sale" offer. That is, if a person sees your offer, or has Notice of your offer (promise of a reward), and the person complies with your offer (returns your ring to you), then a contract has been made, and compliance will be your responsibility.

IAAL