Safro v. Lakofsky

255 N.W. 94, 191 Minn. 532, 1934 Minn. LEXIS 812
CourtSupreme Court of Minnesota
DecidedMay 11, 1934
DocketNo. 29,770.
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 255 N.W. 94 (Safro v. Lakofsky) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Safro v. Lakofsky, 255 N.W. 94, 191 Minn. 532, 1934 Minn. LEXIS 812 (Mich. 1934).

Opinion

JULIUS J. OLSON, Justice.

Appeal from an order denying plaintiff’s motion for new trial.

This was a suit (1) for a permanent injunction restraining defendant from engaging in any professional boxing contracts or theatrical,engagements except under plaintiff’s management and in accordance with a written contract between the parties to this cause, (2) for an accounting and judgment against defendant for plaintiff’s alleged share of purses received by defendant in boxing matches referred to in the complaint, and (3) for such further relief as to the court might seem just.

A temporary injunction in conformity with plaintiff’s prayer for relief was granted by the trial court. This court reversed. Safro v. Lakofsky, 184 Minn. 336, 238 N. W. 641.

The cause was heard on the merits thereafter, and on March 13, 1933, findings and order for judgment were made that “plaintiff take nothing by this action” and that defendant have judgment. On July 24, 1933, the court made an order denying plaintiff’s motion for amended findings and conclusions. On August 11, 1933, the court, “pursuant to the stipulation of the parties hereto and in accordance with the agreement entered into between the court and counsel,” made an order that “the order of July 24, 1933, may be and hereby is modified nunc pro tunc by amending and supplementing the findings of fact filed herein on March 13, 1933. That in all other respects the said alternative motion of plaintiff be and hereby *534 is denied.” The court then proceeded, in the same order, so to amend and supplement the same. Summarized, the findings are:

(1) That on the third day of January, 1930, plaintiff and defendant entered into a contract whereby plaintiff undertook to teach boxing to defendant and defendant engaged plaintiff so to do; that plaintiff would advance to defendant necessary moneys in obtaining exhibitions and matches for defendant, who agreed not to box or engage in any exhibition, fight, or theatrical performance except those provided for by plaintiff; that out of the earnings of defendant plaintiff would receive 25 per cent of the net proceeds of the enterprise engaged in; that defendant should receive 60 per cent and that one Morris Lakofsky, designated as party of the third part, should receive 15 per cent.

(2) Defendant on the 14th day of January, 1930, wilfully breached said contract and refused to permit and prevented plaintiff from doing or performing any of the things provided for plaintiff to do as set forth in the contract; that during all of the time since January 3, 1930, plaintiff has kept himself ready, able, and willing to perform the terms of his contract, but ever since the 14th day of January, 1930, defendant has persisted in his refusal to permit plaintiff to perform thereunder; that on or about the tenth day of January, 1931, plaintiff commenced an action in the municipal court of the city of Minneapolis seeking to recover from defendant his share of certain purses earned by defendant after the execution of said contract; that on March 4, 1931, said cause was duly tried and resulted in a verdict for plaintiff.

(3) That on December 24, 1931, judgment was entered for the amount of the verdict, interest, and costs and was duly paid by defendant.

(4) After January 3, 1930, and intermittently up to the present time, defendant has engaged in professional prize fights and has thereby earned substantial sums of money above training expenses. That both plaintiff and defendant have some degree of skill in their respective callings.

As conclusions of law the court determined that the contract was entire and indivisible; that plaintiff’s remedy thereunder was ex *535 hausted by tlie municipal court action; that plaintiff take nothing by this action; and that defendant have judgment for his costs, etc. The record here for review contains no part of the evidence offered or received at the trial. It is limited to the pleadings, a motion for amended findings and conclusions, motion for new trial, the findings of the court (as finally amended and supplemented), and order denying plaintiff’s motion for new trial. Under these circumstances it necessarily follows that our review is limited to (1) whether the conclusions of law are justified by the findings of fact, and (2) whether there was error on the part of the trial court in refusing to make the additional findings submitted.

At the time of the oral argument plaintiff freely conceded that if the contract here involved was not one of employment plaintiff cannot prevail in the present action. The view we take of the case is such as to make further discussion of other assigned errors unnecessary.

To understand just what the contract is it perhaps is desirable that the same be taken up and considered in more detail than has heretofore been attempted. Substantially, these are the requirements to be performed by plaintiff: To be the manager for the defendant and diligently to teach and train him to box, spar, and fight; to arrange for boxing exhibitions and fighting matches; to take full and complete charge of the training of defendant for such boxing exhibitions and fighting matches; to advance all moneys and expenses necessary in obtaining exhibitions and matches; and to advance all necessary expenses for his training preparatory to the same. He further agrees to use his best efforts in obtaining boxing-contracts, theatrical engagements, and fight matches. Upon performance of all these requirements plaintiff is to receive 25 per cent of the net proceeds “of said enterprise,” division of “profits” to be made “forthwith after each and every fight * i:' * or at such time as the proceeds * * * shall be received by” him. From the “gross profits” are first to be deducted all training and other expenses paid or incurred by plaintiff. The balance of the “net proceeds” is to go, to the extent of 15 per cent thereof, to the “party of the third part” and the remaining 60 per cent thereof to the *536 defendant. It is further agreed that plaintiff “cannot sell or assign his interest in this contract without first obtaining the written approval and consent of the parties of the first and third parts.”

The defendant obligates himself as follows: That during the lifetime of the contract he will not make any other contracts of like nature nor engage in any boxing or exhibition fights or theatrical performances except such as have been procured by plaintiff; that he will fulfill all boxing contracts and fights made in his behalf by plaintiff; and that he will faithfully and conscientiously train for the same.

The third party is given the “right and privilege of approving any and all exhibitions, matches or theatrical engagements, and that no such exhibitions, matches and theatrical engagements shall be made by party of the second part [the plaintiff] without first obtaining the approval of” the third party, who is also to aid and assist the plaintiff in managing and promoting the professional career of the defendant. (It may be here noted that the third party to the contract is not a party to this action.) ,

When the case was here before, Mr. Justice Holt said (184 Minn. 337, 238 N. W. 641, 642) :

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Bluebook (online)
255 N.W. 94, 191 Minn. 532, 1934 Minn. LEXIS 812, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/safro-v-lakofsky-minn-1934.