Case Analysis of Lucy v. Zehmer BUS 206 Business Law Instructor Bridgett Nicolace February 18th, 2024 Zehmer argued that he didn't have a genuine intent to contract. This was the major contractual element Zehmer contended was missing. Zhemer stated he had no real intent to sell his farm for $50,000 or even enter a binding contract. Despite the back and forth 'banter' with Lucy, he 'drew up a contract' that he and Lucy both signed. Lucy had no reason to believe that Zehmer's intent wasn't to sell because he never stated otherwise. When it comes to determining intent to enter into a contract, the court is focused what someone was 'secretly thinking', but instead on the evidence presented to them. The court ruled in favor of Lucy in this case. The court was able to rule in favor of Lucy because the court was able to rule that Zehmer had intent based on his words and actions. Zehmer drew up a contract and signed it with Lucy. Lucy then provided $5 to assure that the bargaining was final, proving Zehmer to seem as if he was genuinely considering this sale. The final judgement here was based on reasons and arguments. The defendants lawyer even recognized that both parties were not too drunk to create the pact. The court emphasized that the subjective intent of Zehmer was irrelevant, - Zehmer stated he was joking but that did not matter because of the objective intent any reasonable person would infer from Zehmer's actions. It also helped Lucy's case that other witnesses had heard Zehmer speak about selling the farm in the past, even more so supporting Lucy's belief that Zehmer seriously wanted to sell the farm.
I have found it reasonable for me to agree with the court's ruling. The law must consider the objective facts of the parties. Zhemer wrote up and signed an agreement with Lucy. This expressed the intent to sell the farm. Any person would be able to infer that was his intent. Especially if they had not heard him say explicitly that this was a joking matter, and he did not plan to actually do so. When I was 16, almost 17 years old I entered a contract with LA Fitness unbeknownst to me. I remember going there with my friend at the time and because she had a membership and could use the tanning beds, I decided I wanted to do the same. The person working offered me a membership and at my age I didn't think much about what I was signing, nor did I think it counted because I wasn't a legal adult and my parents didn't authorize it, so I just signed it and didn't think twice. I agreed to pay a monthly fee, knowing my pay checks at the time were somewhere around $200-$300 every two weeks and that was my gas money and fun money, I knew there was no way I would be able to afford an $80 a month