>tl;drIn short, over the past few years my cousin has refused to pay me back $2k that I willingly gave to him for him to pay for his Legal-Issues (which I now regret), and while $2k might not seem like a lot of money, I do have to help my Family pay bills and I am also a Student, so him breaking that trust of not repaying me has caused me to break all my ties with him, and I do not see myself going back to good terms with him after this, but I do want to get this done and over with so that I can get on with my life.>The Long StoryWithout getting too specific, he was charged with 'Assault Impeding Breath/Circulation' on his girlfriend while out in public in 2022, but when he told me how he was in need of money because of said Legal-Issues, he said that he got into it with his girlfriend and not to worry about it.Later when I have already gaven him the $2k, he spilled the beans about how his girlfriend "pissed him off" and that he just "snapped" at her and started choking her while eating at a restaurant: And ever since then he has just been trying to dodge the question about money, by saying how I should trust him because hes my cousin and how he will pay me back as soon as I can, and it got to a point where I started getting more annoyed and pressing him on it until he just lashed out at me one day by calling me a bum and all sorts of names, and we haven't talked since then...But he was also arrested AGAIN, for assault in 2025, and IDK what happened, but he had a charge for 'Family Violence Causing Bodily Injury', so he has clearly not learned his lesson.>Conclusion???Small Claims Court is probably my best bet since its been less than 4yrs since he has owed me $2k, but IDK what to do legally speaking, or even how I would present myself in court...Looking back, I should have not given my cousin that $2k, but he intentionally pressured me by making it sound urgent that he needed to be paid (something about paying back his Lawyer, or he would be arrested) etc.
>>34570284I just want to add that I am tired of my Family excusing this sort of behavior from Family, with the abuse of drugs and other degeneracy which leads to stuff like this being excused (my Family has NOT helped me get back my $2k at all), and I am about ready to GTFO out of here before my 30s, and cut off communication with most of my Family if they don't get their act together.I also appreciate any and all advice from you anons, and for those that give the time to read my post and respond. Thank You.
>>34570284Bruh I maybe have a junkie friend or 2 that I lent at most 300 euro and never got back over like a decade but 2K seems a bit much. I'd say you're in your right to go to court.
>>34570284fuck him, do it.he sounds like a total jackass, chokes out his gf in public because he has no self control, take a loan from you and tries to welch on it, lashes out at you and calls you a bum when HE'S the one who had to tap YOU for $2k to help his dumb ass out and he hasn't learned anything and is still doing the same dumb shit. he sounds like a waste of space, get your money or whatever you can (the fuck probably doesn't have the money to pay you though) and cut ties
>>34570284The important things to remember about courts are: 1) What happened is irrelevant; what matters is what you can *prove* happened. 2) Right and wrong are irrelevant; what matters is what's legal.So, what are your *legal* grounds for claiming that your cousin owes you $2000, given that when you gave it to him it was explicitly a gift and not a loan? And how can you prove to the court that what you're claiming really happened?
>>34570284$2k is definitely a significant amount of moneyeven if it wasn't, your cousin clearly deserves the troubletake him to court OP
>>34570300Yeah anon its a mess...The only real problem is that my Mom is telling me NOT to go through with that, because that would only escalate it, but I feel like its already been escalated as is, and that this would be better off sorted out.>>34570324He is a total jackass, but he wasn't always like this. He has his reasons, but most of those reasons are his fault (like being a violent alcoholic, that can't control himself), and the SAD part about all of that is that he procreated with that same girlfriend and had a Child, and he admitted to me how he was doing hard drugs before she got pregnant and during all of her pregnancy, but how he doesn't want me to tell his girlfriend about that...So its all just a really big mess anon.I do have my own faults I admit, but him calling me a bum was unwarranted. Especially considering all of what hes done, and continues to do.>(the fuck probably doesn't have the money to pay you though)I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't, but he could definitely make that money to pay me back with.>>34570334>What happened is irrelevant>Right and wrong are irrelevantReally???>what are your *legal* grounds for claiming that your cousin owes you $2000, given that when you gave it to him it was explicitly a gift and not a loan? And how can you prove to the court that what you're claiming really happened?The money I was given was in CASH, which might be a problem, but that cash was given to me as a gift from my Grandma, so I'm sure there's history showing that...He also messaged me how he wasn't going to pay me back that money, and how I am definitely not getting it back, so that's a form of admission from him.Other than that, it's mostly a story, but a consistent stort.>>34570391>$2k is definitely a significant amount of moneyTrue. And it pisses me off that my Mom says money comes and goes, and that I can just make that money back, and not to go causing any further problems with Family, when it is a lot of money.
>>34570284Unless you've got signed, witnessed and notarized loan documents you're out of luck.>>34570540>He also messaged me how he wasn't going to pay me back that money, and how I am definitely not getting it backDoesn't prove that it was a loan instead of a gift.
