Shea v. Millett, No. 21-1044 (1st Cir. 2022)
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The First Circuit affirmed the judgment of the district court entering summary judgment in favor of Dr. Peter Millett and dismissing Joseph Shea's alleged breach of oral contract action, holding that the statute of frauds barred this Court from enforcing any agreement against Millett so as to require him to pay Shea from July 1, 2016 onward.
In 2010, Millett spoke with Shea at a medical conference seeking Shea's help in negotiating a certain deal. Shea understood this conversation to create a binding contract. In 2017, Shea brought this lawsuit asserting that he was owed payments beyond a final payment made on June 30, 2016. The district court entered summary judgment in favor of Millett, concluding that any agreement between the parties was unenforceable under the Massachusetts statute of frauds, Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 259, 1, 7. The First Circuit affirmed, holding that there was no enforceable contract between the parties requiring Millett to pay Shea after June 30, 2016.
The court issued a subsequent related opinion or order on June 2, 2022.
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