Actually, litigation isn't limited just to contract agreements. When I used "contract" I meant it in a highly informal sense, in this case meaning any agreement where expectations are understood of each other. In court, all you have to show for the most part is intent to follow through on an action. So, for example, if you send off an email, saying, "Hey Bob, I'll send you the check next Tuesday" a judge with likely consider this as clear intent that you meant to pay by that date, and not just any old time you felt flush with money. In this case, it would be extremely easy...excuse me, it was extremely easy... to determine that the husband-to-be had clear intent to marry this woman and that she had reasonable expectation to be taken care of. But as it turned out he was a complete and utter scumbag, and as is so often the case with utter scumbags it required the courts to make him do the right thing.