Legal Definitions - deadbeat

A deadbeat refers to an individual who habitually fails to fulfill their financial responsibilities or pay money they owe. The term often carries the implication that this person is not merely unable to pay, but actively avoids or is skilled at evading their creditors.

• Example 1: Sarah borrowed $500 from her friend Mark to cover an unexpected car repair, promising to pay him back in two weeks. Months have passed, and despite Mark's repeated attempts to contact her, Sarah ignores his calls and texts, and avoids meeting him, even though she has since posted about a new expensive purchase on social media.

  Explanation: This illustrates a "deadbeat" because Sarah is deliberately avoiding her financial obligation to Mark, suggesting an intent to evade repayment rather than a genuine inability to pay.

• Example 2: A small construction company hired a freelance architect to design blueprints for a new project. After the architect completed and delivered the work, the construction company's owner repeatedly delayed payment, citing various administrative issues, and eventually stopped responding to the architect's invoices and phone calls, leaving the architect unpaid for several months.

  Explanation: Here, the construction company owner acts as a "deadbeat" by failing to honor a contractual financial obligation for services rendered and actively evading payment to the architect.

• Example 3: David rented an apartment for a year. When his lease ended, he moved out without paying the final month's rent and left several utility bills unpaid. The landlord and utility companies attempted to contact him at his new address and phone number, but David had provided false contact information and could not be reached.

  Explanation: David's actions demonstrate the "deadbeat" characteristic of not paying outstanding financial obligations (rent, utilities) and actively making himself difficult to find to avoid these payments.