Joint Bank Account

[rebelchica]

My question involves court procedures for the state of: Texas or Washington

About 4 or 5 years ago (in Washington State) I signed on as a joint bank account holder with my boyfriend at the time. We broke up about 3 years ago and I told him to remove me from the account since I had only been put on it so that I could write checks for our bills. Last summer (June 2009) I found out that I was still on his bank account (which we started in Washington State and I had moved to Texas State shortly after our break up). I called him and went into the bank to fill out paperwork so that he could have me removed from the account. I mailed him the paperwork to his current address and forgot about it assuming he had taken me off. In August I set up a bank account so that my roommate and myself could put money into the bank and pay our rent without having a joint account (I didn't want them to have my account number, this was easiest since it wouldn't actually be my account). I went online a couple times each month to transfer money between accounts and such for bills or whatnot.
Around December my ex started emailing and calling my father telling him I was stealing money out of his account and that he was going to file a police report against me. He went as far as getting the bank to freeze my personal banking account (something the bank even admitted was not something they should have done and they apologized profusely for this action). I ended up spending about 6 hours in the bank trying to figure out what was going on and I called him as soon as I got ahold of his phone number so we could talk.
Apparantly, he had never removed me from his bank account, and I had never activated my online banking for the other account so the money I was transferring was from our "joint" account and not from the one I had set up for my roommates. I told him I was expecting a check soon and I would go ahead and send him the money once I cashed the check. When I received my check I texted him via cell phone numerous times (about 8-10 different times/days) and he never responded. Then I called him a couple times (on 3-4 seperate occassions) and left him voicemails. He never returned any calls or texts and had closed our account completely, so I had no idea of how to send him the check in order to pay him back.
He emailed me today demanding the money and acting as if I was ignoring the amount I owe him. I don't feel that I should repay him at this point because of all the effort I have gone through and the amount I owe him is minimal ($400). Can he sue me in small claims court? Am I doing anything illegal here? I could really use some advice! Thank you!

[jk]

Uh, yes, you should repay him regardless of anything else that has happened.

since he sent you an e-mail, you now have his e-mail address. Send him one asking him where he wants you to send the cashiers check to.

keep copies of all correspondence. I would also send the check certified retrurn receipt requested so you have proof he received the mailing.

If he never responds with where to send the money, make sure you have the money available at all times and document all attempts to contact him to resolve the situation should he attempt further action.