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When Colette DiPierro called off her wedding last September, she returned everything to her fiance, 25-year-old Christopher Reinhold -- everything, that is, except her $17,500 diamond engagement ring, shown in the photo at left.Since the Staten Island, N.Y., native is clinging to her bling, now her ex is taking her to court.
Reinhold filed a lawsuit against the 28-year-old physician's assistant, claiming that no walk down the aisle means the ring, or its cost plus damages -- which totals about $18,000 -- should revert to him. And, in the eyes of the law, engagement rings are viewed as a binding contract: If the terms of the contract (in this case, marriage) aren't fulfilled, ladies are supposed to return the item.
But DiPierro is fighting back, on the grounds that Reinhold proposed on her birthday. (Hint: If the ring is an outright gift, there's no legal recourse.)
DiPierro has broken off an engagement before, but did give that ring back, she says, and the two remain friends. Reinhold, she maintains, skipped out on paying rent and bills while the two were living together, and the band is simply reimbursement.
"If I get what's owed to me, then I'd give the ring back because it doesn't mean anything to me," she told PIX 11.
All right, ladies, get out your brass knuckles and let's discuss: Who gets to keep the sparkler?
More ill-fated weddings on Lemondrop:
+ "I Called Off My Wedding" -- Three Women's Real-Life Stories
+ Couple Spends Wedding Night in Jail After Bride Tries to Rub Out Ex
+ Britain's Unluckiest Bride and Groom Tie the Knot
+ Lost Wedding Rings Are Found in Some of the Weirdest Places
+ Swedish Royal Wedding Called Off on Account of Cheating Fiance
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Comments:
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Tuesday 04 May
By johnv
As long as women continue to allow themselves to be "bought" as chattal--in this case using a diamond ring--they will continue to be treated as un-equal to men. Wake up ladies. You can't have it both ways.
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Tuesday 04 May
By illuse1
Myself and my now former fiance have known each other since high school, and we were engaged to be married last year. We had a major falling out and lots of arguing that I do regret. Everything moneywise and property is being settled normally, but we both agree that neither of us wants the ring...we decided to sell it and split the money equally as opposed to me keeping it or her keeping it...what once was a symbol of our love means nothing anymore...
On that note, the law in all 50 states declares outright that an engagement ring is a binding contract (even if the proposal happens on a holiday or birthday) and upon the engagement being called off by either party..uh huh..that the ring or said value of the ring is to be returned to the gentleman (soon to apply to gay or lesbian marriages also) to the individual who made the proposal...only real loophole is if she had said no and gave the ring anyway...then it would be considered a gift in the eyes of the courts...
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Tuesday 04 May
By Lisa
No way should she be able to keep the ring...It is a ring of promise of marriage, not a birthday gift....She broke off the engagement so the ring should go back to him...Now if he broke the engagement...she should be able to keep the ring...What a Money hog this woman is...Shame on her...I can't stand people like that...give the ring back to the guy...you don't DESERVE it!!!!
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Tuesday 04 May
By Tracy
one question. If a man can afford a $17,000 ring, why couldn't he pay his debts? If he is making payments on the ring, why doesn't he just stop payments and let the ring be repo'd? Something seems a little off here don't you think?
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Tuesday 04 May
By PastaRasta
He should rent billboard space near her house, slap her picture up there with a picture of the ring and say this on the billboard:
Caution: Collete DiPierro is a jewel thief! Do NOT ask her to marry you!
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Tuesday 04 May
By lkcoz
Hey, if the guy has the money to buy a $17,000 engagement ring, and then is enough of a flake to skip out on rent and bills.. she deserves anything she can keep of his.. you go girl ! ! ! !
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Tuesday 04 May
By Thomas
She says that the ring doesn't mean anything to her. Sure it does, it means $17,000.00!!!!
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Tuesday 04 May
By Heather
This is why you do NOT propose on a holiday. If you propose on Christmas, Birthday, Valentine's Day, basically anything other than a random Tuesday the ring is considered a gift for said holiday and does not have to be returned. Cases like this have went to court before. If the engagement is on any day other than a holiday then the ring must be given back.
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Tuesday 04 May
By dverzic
If she broke off the engagement then she should return the ring, but if he broke it off it is hers to keep. In this case, she should return the ring and then sue Him for any expenses he owes, like rent, etc.
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Tuesday 04 May
By chris
Ok, tough one. I have always seen any exchange as a gift. He gave it to her. So I would let her keep it. BUT, its interesting the article says she gave everything else back to him. So the difference with the ring is?????? It appears everything else has no value. If she is trying to get rid of all bad memories, the ring is one of them.
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Tuesday 04 May
By ianmcdonald357
In the eyes of the law, an engagement ring is a conditional gift. Meaning, certain conditions must be met in order for the gift to become official. If for whatever reason, the wedding does not take place, then the groom is entitled to have the ring returned to him.
Being a contract, you cant break one contract just becasue you feel another contract has been breeched. If she feels he owes her, she is entitled to sue him for it, BUT she will have to give him back the ring.
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Tuesday 04 May
By Chanelle Bas
I was raised somewhat different from what I'm reading, if the man breaks up the engagment then the ring is to be kept. Kinda like pain and suffering. But if the woman breaks it then the ring must be returned. Proper lady etiquettes.
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Tuesday 04 May
By Mon
Just give the ring back. Who gives if the ring was worth $1, $17,000 or even $100,000, not only is the ring a contract it signifies a bond between two people; the start of a life long commitment to each other. If they don't even have enough love to walk down that aisle, the ring means nothing. She's obviously keeping it because she wants the money. How sad that she doesn't have enough decency to just return the ring and go to court for the expenses she believes she's owed. And by the way, why would you live with someone that doesn't help you pay the bills? That's stupid on her part. Next time she should think before entering into an engagement lightly, but considering this isn't her first time being engaged, I doubt she thinks much at all.
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Tuesday 04 May
By Sandy
So, is it the same rule in the event of a divorce? Would the rings have to be given back or does this just apply to broken engagments? and yes, i would have given him back the ring no matter who broke it off but Divorce might be different.
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Tuesday 04 May
By London
WHAT A LOSER SHE IS! How does the guy afford a 17,000 ring and can;t pay the rent or the bills? Why did she let him go that long without paying his share of the bills? I bet she made up that part of the story to use as an excuse for keeping the ring. Sorry but you have to find some other way to get your money back. Take him to court - civil court for back rent etc. An engagement ring is a promise ring like a contract. Contract voided by the woman who gets the ring - needs to return it. I wonder if she really is a physician assisant, and not perhaps some medical assistant- the pay is quite different. And she broke off a previous engagement? Seems like you may have a serial ring thief here starting out...The guy should consider himself LUCKY that she didnt want to marry him. She only wanted the shirt off his back and then to throw him out!.. Another insult to being a Staten Islander. First its the Jersey shore and now this etc.. wait.. lets throw her out to the jersey shore where she can trash around with the other trash there! Of course Im not calling everyone trash there-- but you know what Im talking about- the trash likened to MTV;S show....She got more out of thsi than expected. She got attention and interviews everywhere... why?/ I have no idea why..I mean its not a 50,000 diamond ring..so why did the dumb SI Advanve write up the story? Who did she bewitch there? Oh , I forgot.. the Advance is known for writing and putting stupid news on its front pages! No quality and no competition from another island paper because there isnt another local paper... all downhill... thanks Advance for promoting her sorry A#$ story and not something worthwhile and humanitarian or good...
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Tuesday 04 May
By David S.
Unless this dude is very well off (the article doesn't say) he needs to have his head examined for giving any woman a $17,000 ring. Anyone that stupid deserves what he gets.....
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Tuesday 04 May
By Coll
Give the ring back. You broke off the wedding, so give it back. It is the right thing to do.
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Tuesday 04 May
By Jason
This case seems straight forward and simple... The ring was given and accepted with the intention of marriage. She is just using the fact that he proposed to her on her birthday to be vindictive. It is clear that this was NOT given as a gift. Even if she is holding it for use in the repayment of rent and bills, if the total does not equal $17,000, she should sue him for what he owes ad give him the ring back or if she has the intention of keeping the ring, which seems evident, she must reimburse him the difference.
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Tuesday 04 May
By London
Exactly! Thank you! It means MONEY!!! Who can verify she is a physcian assistant is my question. They make decent money- 70- 100 g a year.. so why is she stealing his money? She already is making the money with this stupid story being published by the advance and now interviews everywhere.. for what? for a 50,000 ring?? or for doing some thing good for the world?? for what??? she is a loser... and he should thank his lucky starts that she didnt want him...
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Tuesday 04 May
By Cassie
birthday, holiday, or a random wednesday.... if he proposes, give it back if you change your mind. Why would you want the constant reminder of what didn't happen anyway? What id you bought that ring and he didn't give it back? Takes awhile to make 17gs doesn't it?! Money grubbin man haters
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