If it doesn't mention cash, then we probably don't take it

[depechemodefan]

U.S. Treasury FAQs

There is, however, no Federal statute mandating that a private business, a person or an organization must accept currency or coins as for payment for goods and/or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether or not to accept cash unless there is a State law which says otherwise. For example, a bus line may prohibit payment of fares in pennies or dollar bills. In addition, movie theaters, convenience stores and gas stations may refuse to accept large denomination currency (usually notes above $20) as a matter of policy.

note, I went to the state of Texas website, but I didn't find anything about legal tender.

There is no need to be absurd. Most people would not assume that such things would be accepted as payment by a library. Most people, however, reasonably assume that cash is an acceptable form of payment since it is accepted just about everywhere unless there is something specifying that it is not accepted.

It was fun being absurb :P

[Geek King]

I ain't a lawyer, but that's my understanding. Especially after my stepmother tried to pay a debt in cash and the guy refused to take it. He sued her instead, when the judge found out he refused her cash payment, the judge ruled in my stepmothers favor and wiped the debt.

Two things in this case:

1) She had made a good faith attempt to pay off the debt, and was refused. What form of payment was he insisting on, out of curiosity? I mean, I assume she wasn't trying to pay it off in pennies or thousands of one dollar bills or anything silly like that, right?

2) A debt is different from direct sales. Contract law (normally) applies, so any special stipulations against accepting certain reasonable (important word that. No paying off a car loan in cows except by special arrangement) forms of payment must be spelled out in the contract.

Keeping in mind, IANAL, I just play one on certain RPG nights.

[rvdammit]

My understanding from read US Treasury and Bank of England websites legal tender must be accepted to settle a debt. The definition of a debt I'm a bit hazy on, but I think immediate payment for goods is a transaction, not settling a debt, as ownership of the goods changes at the point of payment.

[South Texan]

In the United States, there is no requirement that a debt or bill be paid in any particular fashion or that cash currency be accepted. In fact, the law is just the opposite. The parties are free to set their own terms and the law does not require its Legal Tender to be accepted. The "Legal Tender" means it is usable, but it does not mean it is required.

This allows merchants to refuse to accept outrageous payments like five hundred dollars in loose change. It also allowed a woman to refuse to accept her alimony all in pennies.

Gerrinson's stepmother's judgment probably was due to the irrational actions of the man to whom she owed the debt. He refused her reasonable form of payment, and then sued her for not paying. In other words, he himself created the problem. (I am assuming he did not tell give her a suitable alternative method for paying the debt like needing a cashier's cheque if he could not accept cash.) Judges do not like people suing over something they caused, so the judge probably erased her debt as a punishment for the man doing what he did.

[RedRoseSpiral]

Hah! When I worked at *Pizza Chain* years ago, one of the drivers did that ... with the store's money! He upped and disappeared after a delivery, he didn't have a cellphone, so we just assumed he went home. He came back to the store a few hours later (I worked lunch shift and had already gone home, he was my lunch driver - this was later in the evening), with three checks in his hand and that was it. He had gambled the cash he had on him, hoping to win big with the store's money ... didn't turn out so well. He paid it all back in payments and kept his job. He wasn't very bright ...

Reminds me of Empire Records. One of the main characters (Lucas) blows all the store's money in Atlantic City because he finds out it's being turned into a chain store.

[depechemodefan]

Would you expect a person buying groceries at a super market to need to stop and ask if cash was accepted? I think such a customer would end up on this website being labeled a wonder dummy.

I forgot to mention before (patron's always coming up interrupting ), this is a case of a person sending cash in the mail, when the email he received mentioned that he can pay with credit card, check or money order. Different instances. There is no guarantee when you mail cash somewhere that no one pockets it. Considering that with a check, m.o. or credit card, if they are used by someone besides the library, there is proof, since someone has to use a machine to endorse them or else sign them.

Mostly because it is stated what is accepted, he shouldn't have sent what he felt like.