Shanxi's "Engagement Rape Case" and Betrothal Gift Dispute Case Sentence in First Instance

　　China News Service, March 28. According to the WeChat official account of the Yanggao County Rong Media Center, on March 28, the Yanggao County People's Court heard and pronounced a first-instance judgment on a marriage contract property dispute case, and ruled to reject the plaintiff's claim in accordance with the law.

　　After trial, it was found that on January 30, 2023, the plaintiff Xi Moumou (male party) and the defendant Wu Moumou (female party) met through a matchmaking agency. During the relationship, the man gives the woman a diamond ring. On May 1, 2023, the two parties got engaged. On the day of the engagement, the man paid the woman a bride price of 100,000 yuan and a 7.2-gram gold ring through the staff of the matchmaking service department.

　　It was also found that on January 31, 2024, the woman returned the bride price of 100,000 yuan and 2 rings to the matchmaking service department. The staff of the matchmaking service department notified Xi's mother Zheng to retrieve the above-mentioned property on the same day, but she refused to take it and still insisted on filing a lawsuit.

　　After trial, the court held that the 100,000 yuan and 2 rings paid by the man to the woman as a betrothal gift in this case should be considered as betrothal gifts. The woman had returned the bride price to the matchmaking service department before the case was filed. The staff of the matchmaking service department notified the man's mother to collect the bride price but she refused to accept it. The court also informed again after accepting the case that the man's mother still refused to receive it. Therefore, even though the woman has returned the above-mentioned bride price and notified her to collect it, the man still insists on requesting the woman to return the bride price through litigation, which has no factual basis and will not be supported according to law. Regarding the man’s request for the return of 9,977.8 yuan of daily expenses including 1,644 yuan for the engagement banquet, the woman had objections to the payment amount and expenses. The court held that the above-mentioned amounts were daily consumption expenditures to maintain and enhance the relationship between the two parties, and were not It falls under the category of betrothal gifts and is not supported by law. Therefore, the court ruled in accordance with the law to reject all the claims of plaintiffs Xi and Zheng.