After A Five Year Court Case, Judge Orders Woman To Return the $40K Engagement Ring

An engagement can be one of the most stressful times. You’ve got so much planning to do, and it’s hard to enjoy that period because every moment feels like a rollercoaster. The one nice thing about an engagement period, for a woman at least, is that even through all the chaos, you always have the ring to look at and think about the future. But what if the engagement falls apart? Would you give the ring back?

Yes, this is a lot to take in and I apologize for dumping so much on your lap. But I say all of this to make it clear: engagements, just like the relationship, is not all a fairy tale, so when thing don’t work out you’re left with nothing except the ring. That’s not always the case, however, especially in New York.

Usually a couple comes to an agreement about whether or not to return the ring. Men usually say “keep it,” and women typically return it (because who would want that reminder?) or keep it and sell it. But in the case of Rodney Ripley proposed to Jennifer Rutten the matter turned kind of messy.

Rodney proposed to Jennifer in 2011 with a three-carat cushion-cut ring that cost him $39,057.10, which he had insured for $40,000. Sadly (or perhaps a blessing), the couple broke off the engagement, but Jennifer never returned the ring, so Rodney took her to court. Jennifer’s legal representation alleged that the ring wasn’t worth more than $13,000 — and in New York you can sue someone in civil courts unless the defendant is asking for more than $25,000. Good ol’ Rodney had the reciepts and proved the ring was worth way more than what Jennifer’s lawyers claimed.

After five years in court over the ring — five years!! — a judge ordered Jennifer to return in. And if she had already sold it, she would have to pay him $40,000. Either way, Jennifer lost big time.

According to the New York Post, Jennifer claimed that Rodney was “more typically abusive, emotionally abusive,” and didn’t want to return the ring because she was “angry.” Isn’t that always the case though? Something tells us, it’s probably a very good thing these two did not get married.