Week 5 - Statute of Frauds & Contract Interpretation: Chapter 7 & Lecture Notes

1. Bartholomew Maslow is the owner of the Seattle Headbands, a semi-professional basketball club. On February 2nd, he met with prospective buyer, Kahlil Amiri, to discuss the sale of the franchise, which included several interests in real estate (i.e., the basketball venue, the training sites, and several offices). At the conclusion of their meeting, both men initialed a three-page handwritten memo that Mr. Maslow had drafted during their meeting. Mr. Maslow's memo outlined the major terms of their negotiation, including a description of the subject matter, the purchase price, and the parties to the agreement. Later that day, Mr. Maslow forwarded the memo and a proposed purchase and sale agreement to Mr. Amiri. Two days later, Mr. Amiri informed Mr. Maslow that he had decided not to purchase the Headbands after all. Consequently, Mr. Maslow sued Mr. Amiri for breach of contract. Mr. Amiri argues that Mr. Maslow's handwritten memo was not enforceable as a contract because it did not satisfy the Statute of Frauds. Is Mr. Amiri correct? Why or why not? Explain your answer by applying the legal rules from this chapter.