The Battle Over a $70,000 Engagement Ring: Modernizing Laws in Massachusetts

Massachusetts' highest court is set to decide who gets a $70,000 Tiffany engagement ring after a broken engagement. The outcome could modernize the state's laws on engagement rings. The case involves Bruce Johnson and Caroline Settino, with broader implications for the legal treatment of such rings.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is gearing up for a significant decision: who rightfully owns a $70,000 Tiffany engagement ring after a groom-to-be called off the wedding? Bruce Johnson and Caroline Settino are at the center of this legal battle, but its implications extend far beyond their personal dispute.

Rebecca Tushnet, a Harvard Law professor, points out that current laws often benefit the would-be grooms. Johnson, who suspects his ex-fiancée of infidelity, is seeking the ring's return. Despite initially losing in court, an appeals court later sided with him, leading Settino to escalate the matter to the state's highest court.

This case could potentially overhaul Massachusetts' laws on engagement rings, aligning it either with the majority of states that follow a no-fault return policy or pioneering a unique approach that disregards such rules. Both parties are eager for a resolution while the expensive ring remains in escrow.

(With inputs from agencies.)