Contracts Keyed to Calamari
Karpinski v. Ingrasci
Facts
The Plaintiff, Dr. Karpinski (the "Plaintiff"), was an oral surgeon in solo practice in Auburn, Cayuga County until 1953. In 1953, the Plaintiff sought to expand his practice by cultivating connections in four surrounding counties. In other words, obtaining referrals from dentists. By 1962, 20% of the Plaintiff's practice came from referrals. Because certain patients had a problem traveling to the Plaintiff's office, he decided to open a second office in Ithaca. The Plaintiff hired the Defendant, Dr. Ingrasci (the "Defendant"), to staff the second office. The Defendant signed a three-year employment contract in June 1962. The contract included a non-compete clause which stated that the defendant "promises and covenants that while this agreement is in effect and forever thereafter, he will never practice dentistry and/or Oral Surgery in Cayuga, Cortland, Seneca, Tompkins or Ontario counties except: (a) In association with the [Plaintiff] or (b) If the [Plaintiff] terminates the agreement and employs another oral surgeon". Additionally, the Defendant was required to execute a $40,000 promissory note to the Plaintiff that would be become payable if the Defendant violated the non-compete clause. In February 1968, after negotiations of a new contract failed, the Defendant "left the plaintiff's employ" and opened his own practice in Ithaca. After opening the office, dentists in the area began referring patients to the Defendant instead of the Plaintiff. The Plaintiff's Ithaca office closed shortly thereafter. The Plaintiff brought suit alleging that the Defendant violated the non-compete clause. The trial court decided in favor of the Plaintiff and granted him an injunction and $40,000 in damages. The Appellate Division reversed and dismissed the lower courts ruling and found that the non-compete clause was "impermissibly broad."
Only StudyBuddy Pro offers the complete Case Brief Anatomy*
Access the most important case brief elements for optimal case understanding.
*Case Brief Anatomy includes: Brief Prologue, Complete Case Brief, Brief Epilogue
- The Brief Prologue provides necessary case brief introductory information and includes:
Topic:
Identifies the topic of law and where this case fits within your course outline.Parties:
Identifies the cast of characters involved in the case.Procedural Posture & History:
Shares the case history with how lower courts have ruled on the matter.Case Key Terms, Acts, Doctrines, etc.:
A case specific Legal Term Dictionary.Case Doctrines, Acts, Statutes, Amendments and Treatises:
Identifies and Defines Legal Authority used in this case.
- The Case Brief is the complete case summarized and authored in the traditional Law School I.R.A.C. format. The Pro case brief includes:
Brief Facts:
A Synopsis of the Facts of the case.Rule of Law:
Identifies the Legal Principle the Court used in deciding the case.Facts:
What are the factual circumstances that gave rise to the civil or criminal case? What is the relationship of the Parties that are involved in the case.Issue(s):
Lists the Questions of Law that are raised by the Facts of the case.Holding:
Shares the Court's answer to the legal questions raised in the issue.Concurring / Dissenting Opinions:
Includes valuable concurring or dissenting opinions and their key points.Reasoning and Analysis:
Identifies the chain of argument(s) which led the judges to rule as they did.
- The Brief Prologue closes the case brief with important forward-looking discussion and includes:
Policy:
Identifies the Policy if any that has been established by the case.Court Direction:
Shares where the Court went from here for this case.