When an engagement is called off, or a marriage comes to an end, one of the more sentimental pieces of property to deal with is the engagement ring. Whether the woman or man keeps the ring is often left up to personal choice. Sometimes the woman feels she has no use for the ring and wants to give it back, and other times she feels it was a gift and the man agrees that she should keep it.
However, there are often disputes over the ownership of the engagement or wedding rings after a divorce. At this moment, celebrity gossip channels are abuzz with Minnesota native Kris Humphries' request of his soon-to-be-ex Kim Kardashian. Humphries reportedly says he bought a $2 million engagement ring for Kardashian as she tricked him into marriage; therefore, he says he now wants the 20.5 carat diamond ring back.
Following traditional rules of etiquette, the ring is returned to the man only when an engagement is called off. That is because an engagement ring is what is referred to as a gift of contemplation, and the act of transferring the gift has not been completed unless the couple actually marries. And when a married couple divorces, traditionally, the woman keeps the ring because it was a gift to her.
However, these traditional ways of doing things do not always coincide with personal wishes or family and property laws. Therefore it is best to discuss these issues with your family law attorney if there is a dispute about the engagement ring. While the future of the Humphries-Kardashian bauble will surely play out on reality TV and in the tabloids, their situation is very unique and it does not necessarily relate to the average engagement ring dispute.
Source: Huffington Post, "Kim Kardashian Divorce: Kris Humphries Wants Engagement Ring Back," May 8, 2012
