How to prove oral gift in court
In real life, oral gift is a common method of property transfer, but due to the lack of written evidence, it is often difficult to prove in court. This article will combine the hot topics and hot content on the Internet in the past 10 days to explore how the court proves oral gifts and provide structured data for readers' reference.
1. Legal effect of oral donation

According to Article 657 of the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China, a donation contract is a contract in which the donor gives his property to the donee free of charge and the donee expresses acceptance. Oral gifts are legally valid, but the evidence is difficult to fix and can easily lead to disputes. The following are the hot discussions on verbal gifts across the Internet in the past 10 days:
| hot topics | focus of discussion | Related cases |
|---|---|---|
| The legality of oral gifts | Does the law recognize the validity of oral gifts? | A celebrity verbally promised to donate real estate, causing a dispute |
| Difficulties in collecting evidence | How to prove the authenticity of a verbal gift | An old man reneged on his verbal gift of property to his children. |
| Court decision trends | Analysis of Judgment Results in Oral Donation Cases in Recent Years | The recognition standards of oral gifts by courts in many places |
2. How does the court prove oral gifts?
In court, the key to proving a verbal gift is to provide sufficient circumstantial evidence. The following are common types of evidence and analysis of their effectiveness:
| Evidence type | Potency Statement | Example |
|---|---|---|
| witness testimony | Testimony from third-party witnesses enhances credibility | Relatives, friends or neighbors proving the fact of donation |
| Transfer record | The flow of funds can indirectly prove the intention to donate. | Records of transfers from donor to donee |
| Chat history | Electronic evidence such as WeChat and text messages can be used as assistance | Chat content in which the giver mentions the gift |
| behavioral evidence | The actual possession or use of the property by the donee | The recipient has lived in the donated property for a long time |
3. Judgment trends in oral donation cases in recent years
According to recent judicial practice, courts tend to be cautious in identifying oral gifts and usually require the recipient to provide multiple aspects of evidence to form a chain of evidence. The following are the verdicts of some typical cases:
| Case type | Judgment | key evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Real estate donation disputes | Partially supported | Witness testimony + proof of actual residence |
| Cash gift disputes | Dismiss | Lack of transfer records or documentary evidence |
| Vehicle donation disputes | support | Chat history + vehicle transfer behavior |
4. How to avoid verbal gift disputes
In order to avoid legal disputes arising from oral gifts, it is recommended to take the following measures:
1.Try to have a written agreement: Even for a simple gift agreement, putting it in writing can significantly reduce the risk of disputes.
2.Keep relevant evidence: Such as chat records, transfer vouchers, witness contact information, etc.
3.Notarized or witnessed by a lawyer: For large gifts, the legal effect can be enhanced through notarization or lawyer witnessing.
4.Complete transfer procedures in a timely manner: If it involves real estate, vehicles, etc., complete the property rights change as soon as possible.
Conclusion
Although oral gifts are legally binding, they are difficult to prove. When hearing such cases, the court will comprehensively consider multiple aspects of evidence such as witness testimony, fund flow, and actual behavior. To avoid disputes, it is recommended to give priority to the written form and keep the relevant evidence chain. Through the above analysis, we hope to provide readers with practical legal references.
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