Contract Claims for a Date Gone Wrong

One of the first things we discuss is Common Law of Contract is the idea of oral contracts. As Prof. Lundmark's handout (see handout 1) notes, the "ready provability of oral contracts" distinguishes common law from civil law. But how far does this leniency toward oral contracts go? Good question and one that reared its ugly head in a story that has become legendary on the Internet. The story involves Internet dating, the age-old question of whether the dinner bill should be split on the first date, and the remedy for failed expectations when the date goes bad. Remedy? A post at quizlaw.com explains how one rejected and dejected dater tried to use contract law to reclaim the money he spent on a first date. It's a funny (pathetic?) story that's worth a quick look.