Goldstein v. Rosenthal

The gulf between the normative assumptions underlying law and human conduct has been wider in cases involving the return of engagement rings than in almost any other area of law. It is easy to program an engagement ring case so that a category selected from the law of contracts or gifts will supply a mechanical solution. But such a computerized result can hardly take into account the cultural realities, the behavioral complexities, or the ethical considerations which are involved.

This action is brought to recover an engagement ring, or, in the alternative, the sum of $2,450, the agreed value…