Mother Wins Lawsuit Against Ex-Daughter-in-Law for Loan Repayment

A family court has ruled in favor of a mother who sued her son and former daughter-in-law, ordering them to repay her 380,000 shekels in loans. The mother claimed she provided the couple with two significant loans during their marriage at their request. The first, for 200,000 shekels, was intended as a down payment for an apartment, with the agreement that it would be repaid upon their separation or divorce. The second loan, totaling 180,000 shekels, was for various expenses including covering bank loans and providing financial assistance, also with the condition of repayment in case of separation.

Following the couple's separation, the mother demanded the return of the funds. Her son acknowledged his mother's claims, but his ex-wife denied them. The ex-daughter-in-law contended that the 200,000 shekel loan had been repaid in cash through monthly installments during visits. Regarding the second loan, she argued it was a gift, not a loan, and that the accompanying documents were prepared without her presence. She also claimed the lawsuit was filed in bad faith to intimidate her during the divorce proceedings.

However, the court, presided over by Judge Hila Gurevitch Ovadia, found the ex-daughter-in-law's account questionable. The judge noted that the ex-daughter-in-law did not know the mother's address, even at times she claimed to have visited and made payments. The court accepted the mother's claim, ruling that the funds were indeed loans whose repayment became due upon the couple's separation. Consequently, both the son and his ex-wife were ordered jointly and severally to pay the mother the full sum of 380,000 shekels. Additionally, the ex-daughter-in-law was ordered to pay the mother 2,500 shekels in legal costs and approximately 35,000 shekels in attorney fees.