Court Orders Return of $70,000 Engagement Ring in Long-standing Legal Battle

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ordered Caroline Settino to return a $70,000 engagement ring to Bruce Johnson after he canceled their wedding, resolving a 65-year-old legal issue of blame in broken engagements.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has issued a groundbreaking ruling in a long-standing legal quagmire regarding who retains ownership of engagement rings when a wedding is called off. The court ordered Caroline Settino to return the $70,000 Tiffany & Co ring to her ex-fiancé, Bruce Johnson, concluding a lengthy legal battle. This verdict comes after years of debate in Massachusetts courts over fault and possession in the dissolution of romantic engagements.

The legal battle began after Johnson called off their planned wedding, prompting a disagreement over the possession of the expensive ring. The decision by the Supreme Judicial Court brings clarity to a contentious issue that has persisted for over six decades in the state's judicial system.

This ruling could set a precedent for future cases, reshaping the legal landscape concerning ended engagements and the rightful owner of substantial gifts exchanged in the context of a nuptial promise.

(With inputs from agencies.)