SmartBrief
Confirm favorite deletion?
Contracts Keyed to Epstein
Qwinstar Corporation v. Anthony
Citation:
882 F.3d 748 (2018)Facts
Anthony contends that Qwinstar breached the employment agreement (EA) by terminating his employment prior to the expiration of the full five-year term. According to Qwinstar, the EA clearly provides for the continued payment of Anthony’s salary only if the Agreement itself is terminated by his death or disability. Even assuming the EA is ambiguous, Qwinstar contends that the district court improperly relied on one interpretive device to the exclusion of all others, and parol evidence reveals the parties’ intent. Analyzing the language of the contract, the district court found that if Anthony’s employment is terminated, Qwinstar owes him nothing beyond his salary and benefits accrued to his termination. On the other hand, the court noted that the second clause guarantees Anthony his full five-year salary if the agreement is terminated for any reason. After concluding that this provision was ambiguous, the court applied the interpretive aid – ambiguous contracts are construed against the drafter.
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.
Topic Resources
13m 45sTopic Outline 
Topic Refresher Course 
Topic Charts & Notes 