#marriage expenses

The Kerala High Court ruled that gold ornaments and cash gifted during marriage can be reclaimed if proven misused, even in the absence of formal entrustment - establishing that delivery and subsequent diversion for personal use suffice to create a legal obligation to return. This clarifies the evidentiary standard for spouses seeking recovery of marital gifts in breakdowns, empowering petitioners to rely on circumstantial proof over contractual formalities.

A daughter’s claim for marriage expenses is not extinguished by a prior settlement for maintenance unless the settlement explicitly includes such expenses. The Kerala High Court remanded the case to determine whether the settlement’s 'full and final' language encompassed marriage costs, reinforcing that financial obligations under Hindu personal law must be clearly articulated to be waived.