Case Citation
Legal Case Name

Lefkowitz v. Great Minneapolis Surplus Store, Inc. Case Brief

Supreme Court of Minnesota1957Docket #762269
251 Minn. 188 86 N.W.2d 689 1957 Minn. LEXIS 684 Contracts

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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis

General Brief
3 min read

tl;dr: A store advertised a fur stole for $1, “first come, first served.” When a man was first to arrive and accept, the store refused. The court held the advertisement was a binding offer.

Legal Significance: Establishes that clear, definite, and explicit advertisements inviting specific performance can constitute binding offers, not mere invitations to treat, creating an enforceable contract upon acceptance.

Lefkowitz v. Great Minneapolis Surplus Store, Inc. Law School Study Guide

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Case Facts & Court Holding

Key Facts & Case Background

Great Minneapolis Surplus Store (Defendant) published two newspaper advertisements. The first, on April 6, 1956, offered “3 Brand New Fur Coats Worth to $100.00” for “$1 Each” on a “First Come First Served” basis. The second, on April 13, 1956, offered “1 Black Lapin Stole Beautiful, worth $139.50” for “$1.00,” also “First Come First Served.” On both occasions, Mr. Lefkowitz (Plaintiff) was the first person to present himself at the store, ready to pay the $1 price. Defendant refused to sell, citing a “house rule” that the offers were for women only, a condition not mentioned in the advertisements. The trial court disallowed Plaintiff’s claim for the fur coats due to speculative value but awarded $138.50 (value of stole less $1 purchase price) for the black lapin stole, finding its value was established. Defendant appealed, arguing the advertisements were not offers.

Court Holding & Legal Precedent

Issue: Did the defendant’s newspaper advertisement for a black lapin stole, stating a specific quantity, value, price, and the condition “First Come First Served,” constitute a binding offer that the plaintiff accepted by being the first to tender the purchase price?

Yes. The advertisement for the black lapin stole was a clear, definite, Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo

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IRAC Legal Analysis

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Legal Issue

Did the defendant’s newspaper advertisement for a black lapin stole, stating a specific quantity, value, price, and the condition “First Come First Served,” constitute a binding offer that the plaintiff accepted by being the first to tender the purchase price?

Conclusion

This case is a key precedent illustrating that advertisements can transcend mere Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ull

Legal Rule

Where an offer, such as one in an advertisement, is clear, definite, Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit es

Legal Analysis

The court determined that while generally advertisements are considered invitations to make Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt i

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Flash Summary

  • While most advertisements are invitations to make an offer, they can
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate

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