Wife Awarded Her Wedding Ring

Who should get the wife's wedding and engagement rings? In Wilson v. Wilson, the trial court held that the husband should because the rings were not a "completed gift." You will be relieved to learn that the Court of Appeals reversed that decision.

The trial court's ruling was based on evidence that the husband's parents had purchased the rings, and that the couple had agreed to reimburse them. The Court of Appeals held that "[c]ustom dictates that engagement and wedding rings are a gift from one future spouse to another spouse," and that such a gift is complete when "delivered." The Court of Appeals also reasoned that failure to fully reimburse the husband's parents would not justify awarding the rings to the husband -- especially since the husband was the only one who admitted being obligated to reimburse the parents.