Q: Am going through a divorce and my wife took out a card which I was just a user and didnt sign anything. Am i responisbl
She is trying to make me pay for 1/2 of it when the charges arent mine but she says she used the card for the house. As a user I can not get the transactions through Chase as she will need to approve it.
A: Its impossible for a lawyer to simply tell you that you are or are not liable for any or all of the charges on that card since there are multiple scenarios where a court can impose liability. As a simple example, if the charges were incurred for payment of "family expenses", they can be viewed as family obligations. As another simple example, if you failed to provide support for your spouse during the pendency of the matter or in anticipation of the divorce and your spouse was forced to use a credit card to pay for necessities as a result of your refusal to provide support, again a judge can impose an obligation. My suggestion is that you meet with a divorce lawyer for a consultation to become better educated on your rights and obligations.
A: Thank you for your question. Without the benefit of the full circumstances surrounding your marital situation my opinion is that you are not legally responsible for charges made on an account which you did not sign for. Wife claims it was for the household, she should be required to prove it before you have any liability. Was this a major improvement on the jointly owned home or simply an appliance? She should have consulted with you in advance of any such undertaking. How much is involved? If it’s a nominal sum it’s not wise to fight over it.
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