First of all it is necessary to define the main facts of the case. In the case Zehmer performs the role of the Defendant (D), while Lucy is the Plaintiff (P). The Defendant writes a contract to sell land for $50,000, and the Plaintiff tries to prove that the following contract is valid, while the Defendant contradicts and states that the agreement was made in a form of a joke.
Also the Defendant insists that he was intoxicated at the moment of signing the contract and could not make considerate decisions, while the Plaintiff states that the Defendant was in a normal condition and there were no visible signs of him being intoxicated. Also it is important to note, that the initial purpose of the meeting was the discussion about the land purchase. When the Defendant refused to complete the transaction, the Plaintiff brought suit for specific performance.
The main issue of the case is to define whether the contract signed by the parties is valid. Also it should be taken into consideration if the mental state of the parties is important for their ability for decision-making.
The facts of the case bring us to the holding and rule of such kind: first of all, the mental state of the parties is not taken into consideration while forming a contract. It can be considered only in the case if all of the parties knew about the following mental issues. This is why the contract the Plaintiff has received can be considered valid and can be used as an evidence of the transaction. All the responsibility in the following situation lies on the Defendant, who must have realized that his actions could lead to serious consequences.
Disposition: Judgment for the Defendant reversed and …