Help! My friend won't pay what he owes!?

[Jack]

I had lent my friend back in November $200 so she could get to Tennessee from North Carolina, her family wasn't doing her right. I helped her out - and ever since she's owed me $200. I kept letting it pass by and telling her whenever is fine (She was having a baby and such) however I'm now going to move to Colorado in March. I asked her back around the mid of January if she could pay me back - she responded that she would once taxes were done. (Which I have pictures of our face book chat log showing that she stated she does owe me, will pay me back, and even goes as far as to say I'm a great human being!) Now she's dodging me, won't respond to messages, and it's rather rude considering I did help her... My question is - could I use the facebook private chat messages as legal documentation in court?


In addition, I know there will be court fee's - could I also apply to have her pay the fee's in court since she was the one who decided not to pay me back?

Thanks for the answer!

[cloveryer]

never lend a friend money thinking you will get it back babe
they are under no legal right hun
facebook chat means nothing
that is not a legal binding contract
forget about it
next time don't loan them money

[Tim]

one life lesson ...never lend friends money .. cost ..$200

[Andy L.]

Let's suppose you had a proper written contract, because the comments outside of it are not very strong to make a case.
In Tennessee,
You have to send a demand letter to the person that owes you money. That is required. They have 30 days to pay. Then, when they don't, you file in small claims court. The person owing you money needs to be served, and that could take a week, and then they have 14 days to respond to it. After that, if they did not respond, you can file for a summary judgement. If they respond to the notice, a trial date is set in 6 - 8 weeks from the receipt of the answer. If in a trial they don't like the result, it is about $300 to $400 to file an appeal.

If successful in this you get a court judgement, and still have to collect the money.
Along the way,
Filing Fee (One Defendant)Up to $1,500.00 = $60.00
Garnishment to try to collect as in garnishing wages $30.00
Executionfee $30.00
Certified Mail (1oz.)Any Amount$10.86
SubpoenasAny Amount$20.00 per subpoena
If the loan contract included collection fee clauses, you can add that to the amount owed as you put more money into this.

It is better to learn a lesson. You do not LOAN money. You are giving a gift, that you would like reciprocated one day, but don't expect every to get lent money paid back or you live a life of disappointment. Not only do you lose the money, you also feel miserable about it.