Contract Law Legal Briefing on Lucy v. Zehmer Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia (196. Va. 493, 84 S.E.2d 516 (1954)
Ti’Isha Edwards Business 10 Sec ON3 (21116) Briefing on Lucy v. Zehmer Lucy v. Zehmer Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia (196. Va. 493, 84 S.E.2d 516 (1954) BUCHANAN, J. (Justice) Plaintiff: W.O. Lucy (and wife) Defendants: A.H. and Ida Zehmer Facts One night, Lucy stopped in to visit Zehmer at Zehmer’s place of business. Lucy has known Zehmer for close to twenty years; Lucy has also made offers to buy Zehmer’s Ferguson Farm for $50,000 for eight years out of the twenty years of knowing Zehmer. During Lucy and Zehmer’s visit, both parties were engaging in drinking while conversing about Lucy’s interest in purchasing Ferguson Farm for $50,000 among other topics. While having drinks, Lucy persuaded Zehmer to write up a contract for the sale of Ferguson Farm to Lucy for $50,000. Zehmer wrote up a contract for thus sale of land to Lucy for $50,000 complete. Lucy brought suit for specific performance when Zehmer refused to complete the transaction. The trial court ruled for Zehmer holding that Lucy had not established a right to specific performance. Lucy filed an appeal. Issue Will the Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia considers whether the lower court’s decision to deem the contract unenforceable due to Zehmer’s intoxication (a condition in which a person’s normal capacity to act or think is inhibited by alcohol or some other drug).
