[SHOwnsYou]

In the United States, a verbal contract is valid up to a contract value of $500.

If someone tells you they'll give you a $10,000 to do or say something ridiculous (eat a week old pizza, drink milk through your nose, etc), you can't sue them when they don't deliver; They aren't on the hook for $10,000.

[dragonwriter]

> In the United States, a verbal contract is valid up to a contract value of $500.

This depends on both what the payment is for, and which US jurisdiction's law binds. There are circumstances in California, e.g., for which there is a $5,000 limit -- and circumstances for which there is a $100,000 limit.

Which is one reason why you should go to a lawyer.

[amgreg]

The existence or not of a contract does not entirely determine whether a promise (e.g. to pay you $12,000) is legally enforceable. There may be other legal theories affording recovery. Therefore it is not entirely accurate to say that if you have an invalid contract with someone, "you can't sue [him] and [he] won't deliver." In many if not most cases you can sue and you may be able to recover.