Am I obligated to pay if it doesn't work out?

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MC123

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I am dating a dominican girl for 3 months and supporting her. I rented us an apartment that she lives in fulltime and I stay in when I visit her every 4 weeks or so. If the relationship doesn't work out am I legally obligated for anything if we were just dating?
 

liam1

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If you were smart enough you set it up so it's her who is officially renting the place, you are paying for it but her name is on the contract, if there is one, if not, even better.
 
I am dating a dominican girl for 3 months and supporting her. I rented us an apartment that she lives in fulltime and I stay in when I visit her every 4 weeks or so. If the relationship doesn't work out am I legally obligated for anything if we were just dating?

Ohh my God please move this to the mars/venus category. You just met her and are paying her rent and other bills? You go there every 4 weeks or so? Who do you think is there the other 3 weeks? Forget legal responsibility and just get your head examined my friend.
 
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Just a word of warning; If this relationship continues for a few years, you should consider the possibility of it becoming classified as being a "common law" marriage.

Although I do not pretend to understand all the legalities involved with that type of relationship, you could stand to lose a great deal more than just a few months rent.

Unless you intend on making a very long-term commitment to this woman (I won't get into a discussion about the pros and cons of that decision) you should probably distance yourself from any commonly shared living arrangement.
 

bienamor

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no such thing.

There is no such thing as common law wife in the Dominican Republic.

Mr. Guzman has pointed this out in the legal forum. use the search. and look up his answers
 
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Yes, bienarmor, I have read them. That is the reason I put the term in quotes.

While there is no legal "common law" marriage, a woman has many legal avenues to pursue when they are involved in a long term relationship, especially if children are part of the deal.

Whatever you want to call it, if you you are living with someone for an extended period of time, and the woman has possession of the domicile, she will acquire much of the property in question.

Just because the terminology isn't precise doesn't mean one should disregard the consequences. Everyone can certainly make their own decisions. However, I personally know someone who lost much by being too attached to his "unmarried" girlfriend.

Anyway, I'm just saying, do what you want.
 

AnnaC

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Here's what Fabio Guzman posted for an update on common law;

An update of the situation:

There is no such thing as a "common law marriage" in the Dominican Republic. Living together, our Supreme Court has said, is never equivalent to a normal marriage.

However, certain provisions in the Labor Code, the Minors Code and the Criminal Code acknowledge that living together has legal consequences. For example, a worker has the right to a few days off work if his or her companion gives birth to his child; domestic violence to a companion treated the same as domestic violence to a wife. On October 17, 2001, a Supreme Court decision gave a surviving concubine the right to sue for the wrongful death of her companion in an automobile accident under very restrictive conditions: a) the couple must have lived as if they were husband and wife, in a public relationship, not hidden or secret; b) the relationship must be stable and long-lasting; c) the relationship must be monogamous and non-adulterous since its origins ; and d) the couple should be of different sexes. The ruling goes on to say expressly that "marriage and extra matrimonial companionship are not . . equivalent realities”.

During the present decade, lower courts have expanded these rights to other areas, giving the "common-law wife" ("concubina" in Doiminican legal terminology) rights in the estate of her "common-law husband" or rights to "community property" in case of separation. Recently, however, the Supreme Court rejected the claim made by a surviving companion to 50% of her deceased companion's estate. The claimant had argued that her lifelong relationship should be equivalent to marriage under community-property rules.
 
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Celt202

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May 22, 2004
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For a foreigner in the DR if you hang out in certain segments of society it is expected by the people you encounter that you pay for everything.

For more insight into this phenomenon read the accumulated wisdom of AZB.
 

AZB

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How is it that you guys meet a girl and then instantly start paying her rent, house expense, school and start supporting her 2 kids? What is wrong with you guys?
AZB
 
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bienamor

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to my knowledge

While there is no legal "common law" marriage, a woman has many legal avenues to pursue when they are involved in a long term relationship, especially if children are part of the deal.

Whatever you want to call it, if you you are living with someone for an extended period of time, and the woman has possession of the domicile, she will acquire much of the property in question.

Just because the terminology isn't precise doesn't mean one should disregard the consequences. Everyone can certainly make their own decisions. However, I personally know someone who lost much by being too attached to his "unmarried" girlfriend.

Anyway, I'm just saying, do what you want.

This normally occurs when the Foreigner does not have residency, and she threats to go to court, or she does have a lawyer talk to the foreigner and convences him that it is in his best interest to give her this that and the everything else. Point is if you want to fight it, legally you will win. Wont be fun but can be done. Have known your friends situation(happend to people I know also) but they did not have residency, did not want to post the bond, was cheaper to give her the stuff, etc. also know some that took the fight to court, and did win.
 
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Actually the guy is a resident and had a good lawyer. He had no children with the woman, and they lived together for less than a couple of years. He lost a jeepita, all household furnishings, and damn near lost his condo. Not to mention all the heartache that goes with that whole scenario.

Of course, it all depends on the situation, and every situation is different, but it doesn't hurt to keep your eyes open.

All I am saying is it is a good idea to take an ounce of prevention, and just because you might think you have done all the right things doesn't guarantee you won't get stung.
 

suarezn

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Ohh my God please move this to the mars/venus category. You just met her and are paying her rent and other bills? You go there every 4 weeks or so? Who do you think is there the other 3 weeks? Forget legal responsibility and just get your head examined my friend.

I'm sure that in addition to the apartment rent, he bought her all the furniture, fridge, stove, etc...to live in the apartment (because of course who's going to live in an empty apartment)...and of course she needed a cell phone (not a cheap one of course), and a passola and money for college or some other course she wants to do, etc, etc, etc...

She may not be hosting anybody when he's not there, but if it was me I would put a hidden camera in the apartment just to be sure...
 
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Berzin

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She may not be hosting anybody when he's not there, but if it was me I would put a hidden camera in the apartment just to be sure...

Why? To see what we already know is going on?

We can do a hybrid episode of "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom" and combine it with elements of "In Search of..." with Leonard Nimoy.

We'll hunt the chica down, shoot her with a dart to put her to sleep, attach a monitor that will alert us if she goes near a cabana, and the night vision camera at the apartment.

We'll call it "In Search of...The Monogamous Grillo".
 
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Conchman

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Actually the guy is a resident and had a good lawyer. He had no children with the woman, and they lived together for less than a couple of years. He lost a jeepita, all household furnishings, and damn near lost his condo. Not to mention all the heartache that goes with that whole scenario.

Of course, it all depends on the situation, and every situation is different, but it doesn't hurt to keep your eyes open.

All I am saying is it is a good idea to take an ounce of prevention, and just because you might think you have done all the right things doesn't guarantee you won't get stung.


Was that a guy named Tom? Yeah I think he made the mistake of giving her the money to buy the furniture for his condo and she had the receipts in her name.
 
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