Dispute Over Stolen Iphone

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Summary

In Tennessee, you are not legally responsible for a stolen item unless you were involved or negligent. You cannot be forced to pay for your friends lost iPhone without a court order. You can inform your friend that you are not obligated to pay for the stolen iPhone and that there is no legal basis for her to prevent you from moving out.

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I'm staying with a friend and am ready to leave. When it was so cold and had snowed she had opened her house to some of the local homeless and after they left she claimed that one of them had stolen a old iphone from her but had turned the cameras off in her house so she has no proof that the phone is even gone or who took it. But yet she claims that she knows one them took her phone and she claims that she feels it's only fair that I pay her at least $* for the phone. Is this legal
Hello ****, could you please provide your location as legal regulations can vary depending on the place. But in general, you are not legally liable for the loss if you didn't take the phone or were not negligent in any way leading to its loss.
Tennessee
In Tennessee:
- No one can hold you financially responsible for an item stolen by a third person unless you were involved or negligent.
- You're not obligated to compensate your friend for her lost iPhone.
- You can't be forced to pay without a court order.
So what do I need to tell her in saying I am wanting to leave because she is going to use that as why I have to stay because I don't have the money to pay her
You could say, "I understand your situation but I am not legally obligated to pay for the stolen iPhone as I had no involvement in its theft. I will be moving out and there is no legal basis for you to prevent me due to this situation."