Massachusetts Court Orders Engagement Ring Return

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that Caroline Settino must return a $70,000 engagement ring to her former fiancé, Bruce Johnson, concluding a lengthy legal battle. This decision ends a six-decade-old precedent in Massachusetts that required judges to determine fault in failed engagements before deciding the fate of engagement rings. The court now treats engagement rings as conditional gifts that must be returned regardless of which party is at fault for the breakup. Johnson had argued that Settino became critical and unsupportive, leading to his decision to call off the engagement after he discovered what he believed were signs of infidelity. The ruling aligns Massachusetts with a more modern legal stance adopted by many jurisdictions, emphasizing a no-fault approach. The court's decision reflects a broader trend in legal thought regarding the treatment of engagement rings in cases of broken engagements.