# Woman claims alimony from husband's parents... **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 18, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-alimony-from-husbands-parents/313034 "2005-07-18T20:39:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2005, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-alimony-from-husbands-parents/313034/21 "2005-07-20T21:02:16Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Why, thank you Gfactor! I had wondered. > > Another thing you said: Parents are not responsible for their children’s debts? Really? School loans, credit cards - nothing? Minors lack capacity to form contracts generally. [Quickest cite I could find](http://www.gtlaw.com/pub/articles/1996/jacobsonm96a.asp) [Here’s another](http://www.gblaw.com/news.asp?newsID=23) That’s why the credit card=proof of age thing works. If a creditor sues a minor for failure to pay a contractual debt, the minor usually walks away. (The minor might have to return whatever goods were received as a result of the contract, but won’t have to pay any money). Another exception is that minors are liable for necessaries. [http://www.newyork.bbb.org/library/publications/subrep65.html](http://www.newyork.bbb.org/library/publications/subrep65.html) The minor is not the agent of the parent, and cannot bind the parent to a contract, so the parents are generally off the hook. There is, of course, an easy way out. The parent can ratify the contract or co-sign the contract. A smart creditor will refuse to deal with a minor unless the parent does in fact sign. Then the parent is liable, but only because the parent agreed to be liable. What happens if the child misrepresents their age? The other party can avoid the contract, and the minor will definitely have to return any goods that the minor received, but will still not be liable on the contract. [http://www.lawspirit.com/legalenglish/handbook/contracts13.htm](http://www.lawspirit.com/legalenglish/handbook/contracts13.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2005, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-alimony-from-husbands-parents/313034/22 "2005-07-20T21:04:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Parents are usually not liable on contracts entered into by their children. In Arizona, however, the courts have ruled that health care providers have claims against parents for necessary medical expenses without express agreement where: (1) emergency care was rendered when prior parental consent was unavailable; and (2) where the parents refused to provide necessary care. Other than necessary items, however, you shouldn’t have much liability for your child’s debts. [http://www.gblaw.com/news.asp?newsID=23](http://www.gblaw.com/news.asp?newsID=23) ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2005, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-alimony-from-husbands-parents/313034/23 "2005-07-20T22:04:03Z")
In fact, spouses are often not liable for their spouse’s individual debts.\* \*Except for necessities. Also things are more complicated in community property states because the community is liable for the debts of both spouses, but individual property is not. [http://www.irinfo.org/Articles/article\_2\_2004\_Incollingo.pdf](http://www.irinfo.org/Articles/article_2_2004_Incollingo.pdf) (um, pdf). ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2005, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-alimony-from-husbands-parents/313034/24 "2005-07-21T00:42:34Z")
> [@Gfactor](#): > > In fact, spouses are often not liable for their spouse’s individual debts.\* No kidding. Fascinating. I have looked at all your links. i take it I put a thought into your head? Thanks for doing all this research! ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2005, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-alimony-from-husbands-parents/313034/25 "2005-07-21T01:38:59Z")
> [@Gfactor](#): > > [Article giving more facts and stuff](http://www.law.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/Preview&c=LawArticle&cid=1117011908597) Thanks for the link **Gfactor**. The article is a bit confusing. It implies that they bought their house out-right, but then later mentions that part of the $20k/month goes toward mortgage. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2005, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-alimony-from-husbands-parents/313034/26 "2005-07-21T01:56:01Z")
The house was probably remortgaged. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2005, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-alimony-from-husbands-parents/313034/27 "2005-07-21T05:31:37Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > No kidding. Fascinating. I have looked at all your links. i take it I put a thought into your head? Thanks for doing all this research! 😃 No problem. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2005, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-alimony-from-husbands-parents/313034/28 "2005-07-21T12:49:31Z")
One thing that caught my eye was the diagnosis of “end-stage liver disease.” I thought … cirrhosis? I Googled it and discovered that end stage liver disease doesn’t refer to any particular disease but is generally the end stage of total liver failure, and can be brought on by cirrhosis or liver cancer or, I guess, other causes. The thing is, cirrhosis caused by alcoholism could explain the early retirement and the interest the wife has in divorce. In the absence of more facts, it’s just a theory. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-alimony-from-husbands-parents/313034.md?page=1)