A Texas woman who found almost 10-thousand dollars only gets to keep half of it.

She turned in the money as soon as she found it, but no one claimed it.

So, she thought she'd get to keep it.

But, as Emily Griffin reports, it all comes down to the difference between lost and abandoned.

She was very excited and holding it out to me, and I asked her what was going on. And I looked at it. She said, "a lot of money."

Nine-thousand, seven-hundred and five dollars to be exact, found in an abandoned purse in the airport, according to her friend. Without hesitation, the woman who found it turned it in.

She finally she went up there after 90 days, and they told her she wasn't entitled to the money at all.

Was this mislaid property, lost property or abandoned property? Because under Texas law that makes a difference as to who is entitled to it. It was either lost or abandoned.

Lost Money Means Finders Keepers. Abandoned Means The City Keeps All.

As you study the facts, it was somewhat of a close call. To avoid litigation or further dispute and time on it, we would split the money.

After talks of lawyers, the women and her husband agreed to the deal and wouldn't even talk to us for fear of stirring up more trouble with the city. Leading friends to say, they're being taken advantage of.

Because it's found money. There was no ID with it. It wasn't claimed. She found it. City property-- if she found it at the park, would it be city property?

If she found it at McDonalds, would it be McDonalds' property? I think it's her money.

The city disagrees.

It was a very equitable resolution the city gave. We divided evenly with them.

We could have kept all of it.

We could have kept all of it as abandoned property.

Now, that would discourage people from turning it in.

Like some may say, no good deed goes unpunished.

It's wrong. It's her money. She found it.

Each side will get about 48-hundred dollars.