Daniel Sturridge upon learning that contract law is a harsh mistress. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Pop quiz, hotshot: a celebrity makes an offer to the public, someone accepts the contract by performance. Has a contract been created?
That’s not just a hypothetical, but a real fact scenario. In 2019, soccer star Daniel Sturridge’s dog was stolen following a break-in. He posted a video offering to “pay whatever” — “20Gs, 30Gs, whatever” — for the return of his Pomeranian.
Check out the video below.
And Los Angeles man, Foster Washington, found the dog, Lucci, and returned him. But a payday was not forthcoming for Washington. As reported by the New York Times:
“I’m like, ‘Hey, dude, what’s up with the reward?’” Mr. Washington said. “He said, ‘There is no reward.’”
To be clear, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed Washington was not implicated in the break-in in any way. But still, Sturridge didn’t pay. So Washington filed a lawsuit for breach of contract. And Judge Curtis A. Kin of the Los Angeles County Superior Court agreed, and Washington will be getting $30,000 in damages.
Contract law! She’s a harsh mistress!
But Sturridge’s story of what happened was different — at least on Twitter:
Don’t worry, law school Twitter is on top of the case. And yes, this will be on the exam.
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).
