Can you be sued?

well don't know about our southern neighbors but up here in Canada if you don't pay your debts what they can now do is put a lien on something you may own such as a house to recover their loses won't get them anything at first but sure ruins your credit line and when you try and sell your house you will find you can't... till you pay the debt. i know cause it happened to me years back. its like if you don't pay your mechanic for work on your car not right away but sooner or later he will get your car...

they would have to check laws in their particular area. I know that from what I've seen if there was no legal papers drawn up or signatures stating this loan was an actual loan, they really wouldn't have a leg to stand on in court. It would be one's word against the other's word. If your friend wants to keep everything out of a bad situation, then maybe they should just pay the loan back. I don't know what amount of money it was, but if it indeed was a loan and not a gift, then really thay should pay it back.

Well that's a shame that the person never paid the money back. After 18 years they had more than enough time to pay it.

If they can prove they are owed the money, sure why not. If I were too busy I would put it off. Just like today. I picked up 3 new clients. Tending to the needs of the clients is more profitable than chasing what I am owed. I am owed it therefore the person who owes should pay as they are obligated. However there does come the day that I come to collect. If the law wouldn't allow me to sue... I would bend it.