Case Analysis: Lucy V. Zehmer
In the case of Lucy v. Zehmer, Zehmer spent the night drinking with his friend Lucy. During the evening, a piece of paper was signed whereby Zehmer agreed to sell his farm to Lucy. In this assignment, you will review the full case study in your textbook, analyze the contractual elements and ruling, and indicate whether you agree with the ruling.
Prompt
Read the Lucy v. Zehmer case summary in the “Elements of the Offer” section of Chapter 14 in your textbook, and the analyze the case in relation to contract law.
Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:
Identify the contractual element Zehmer contended was missing.
Summarize the court ruling and explain the reason for the ruling.
Agree or disagree with the ruling, and include a rationale to support your ideas.
Summarize a personal experience in which you entered into a contract that you did not think of as a binding contract at the time. Consider which elements of a contract were in place and which were missing.
Sample Answer
Lucy v. Zehmer: A Contractual Analysis
Based on the information you provided, let’s analyze the Lucy v. Zehmer case through the lens of contract law:
Missing Contractual Element:
Zehmer argued that the essential element of mutual assent was missing. He claimed he was joking and never intended to create a binding contract.
Court Ruling and Rationale:
The court ruled in favor of Lucy. Their reasoning centered on the principle of objective manifestation of intent. Even if Zehmer didn’t have the subjective intention to sell the farm, his words and actions (signing the agreement) led a reasonable person to believe he did.