Case ID: misc2d_42/html/0504-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "Edward J. Greenfield, J.", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

Judo, Inc., Plaintiff, v. Thomas Delaney, Defendant.
    Civil Court of the City of New York, Trial Term, New York County,
    March 17, 1964.
    
      
      Milton Kostroff and M. Rosenblum for plaintiff. Roman & Ablondi {Richard F. Mele of counsel), for defendant.
   Edward J. Greenfield, J.

The court finds that although defendant knowingly entered into a contract with plaintiff for a course of instruction, and defaulted before taking any lessons, plaintiff failed to prove what damages were sustained as a result. This was not individual private instruction, and plaintiff’s place in a 10 to 15-man class could have been taken by another. Instruction was not on a semester basis, and pupils could start or stop at any time. The charge for the year was computed upon the basis of a fixed price per lesson. The contract was divisible. There was no provision for liquidated damages. Hence plaintiff was not entitled, in the event of a breach of this executory contract to receive the full contract price, but only that sum less the cost of performance. (Spitz v. Lesser, 302 N. Y. 490; Shulman v. Klein, 203 N. Y. S. 410; Stashin v. Rothman, 123 Misc. 916.)

Unlike individual personal service contracts, plaintiff had to do more than merely render personal service. Plaintiff had definite expenses to pay — for rent, overhead, instructors, office advertising, et cetera, but no proof was offered as to what profit could be obtained from a student’s contract for a year. Plaintiff is not entitled to be in a better position because of the defendant’s complete nonperformance than it would have been had it been obliged to provide instruction for the defendant for a year.

The only measurable damage is that provided for in the contract in the event of a breach — 20% of the balance due for the costs and expenses of legal proceedings and counsel fees.

Plaintiff is accordingly entitled to judgment in the sum of $57.60, with interest from the 14th day of January, 1963.