Opinion ID: 1692119
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Alleged Loans to Mary Elizabeth

Text: Mallory paid Mary Elizabeth $60,000 between January 2000 and November 2000. Mary Elizabeth testified in her affidavit that when Mallory returned to Alabama in December 1999 she did not want him to move in with her and the parties' daughter but that he offered to stay in a guest bedroom and to help with the living expenses. Mary Elizabeth testified that she allowed Mallory to move in with her on the condition that he pay what she considered to be his share of the household expenses. She stated that she and Mallory had an oral contract, terminable at will by either party, under the terms of which she provided Mallory with room, board, and incidentals and she charged him as she deemed appropriate. Mary Elizabeth testified that the payments Mallory made to her during that period were for the living expenses he incurred while he resided with her and that Mallory never referred to the payments made to her as loans she was obligated to repay. She stated that Mallory never wrote the word loan on any of the checks he gave her or otherwise presented her with a promissory note or other writing indicating that the payments he made to her were loans. Mary Elizabeth further testified that Mallory related to her on a number of occasions during the 40-month period in which they resided together that he took great pride in paying his share of the expenses. Mallory disputes Mary Elizabeth's contentions regarding the nature of the payments made to her. Mallory testified that on the evening he arrived back in Alabama Mary Elizabeth invited him to stay at her residence and that he accepted. Mallory testified that he never entered into an agreement with Mary Elizabeth to pay any living expenses. He stated that he inquired of Mary Elizabeth on several occasions as to his status and that she would tell him that he was a guest. Mallory testified that the $60,000 he paid Mary Elizabeth between January 2000 and November 2000 represented loans and that Mary Elizabeth acknowledged that those payments were loans.