Title: Hamburg v. Hansen

State: wyoming

Issuer: Wyoming Supreme Court

Document:

Hamburg v. Hansen1984 WY 64683 P.2d 662Case Number: 84-60Decided: 07/06/1984AL HAMBURG, APPELLANT (PLAINTIFF), 

v. 

JUDY HANSEN, APPELLEE (DEFENDANT).
Supreme Court of Wyoming

AL HAMBURG, APPELLANT 
(PLAINTIFF), 

v. 

JUDY HANSEN, APPELLEE 
(DEFENDANT).

 
 
Appeal from the District 
Court, GoshenCounty, George P. Sawyer, 
J.

 
 
Al Hamburg, pro se.

No appearance by 
appellee.

Before ROONEY, C.J., and 
THOMAS, ROSE, BROWN and CARDINE, JJ.

BROWN, Justice.

[¶1.]     Appellant transferred 
an automobile to appellee in exchange for her promise to pay him $100 and a 
specified number of sexual favors. In his complaint, appellant alleges breach of 
contract and asks for money damages. The justice of the peace court dismissed 
the action, ruling that the contract was illegal and unenforceable. The district 
court affirmed the dismissal. The issue is whether or not appellant is entitled 
to any relief under the contract.

[¶2.]     We will 
affirm.

[¶3.]     The essence of the 
agreement between the parties was that appellant would transfer a 1970 Pontiac automobile to 
appellee in consideration for her paying $100 and additionally bestowing upon 
him 100 sexual favors. The agreement was in writing and undated. It contained 
some ambiguous and unfamiliar terms which were sufficiently clarified at trial. 
Appellant brought an action against appellee in the small claims court and in 
his complaint alleged breach of contract and demanded money 
damages.

[¶4.]     The uncontroverted 
testimony at trial was that appellee had not paid the $100 and had only 
partially otherwise performed. The agreement provided that appellee would get 
the car when she had performed 50 sexual acts; however, for some reason not 
disclosed, there was a premature transfer of the automobile. 

[¶5.]     The justice of the 
peace court dismissed appellant's complaint, holding:

"* * * [T]he contractual 
breach complained of was predicated upon illegal consideration, to wit, the 
exchange of sexual favors for personal property and as such * * * was violative 
of the public policy of this state."

The district 
court sitting as an intermediate court of appeals affirmed the justice of the 
peace court.

[¶6.]     Appellant filed this 
action in the small claims court as a matter of principle, according to his 
brief. He then compounds his folly by pursuing a frivolous appeal in the 
district court and this court. It is an insult to the judicial system and the 
citizens of this state for appellant to pursue an action of this type in our 
courts. We would summarily dismiss this spurious action without comment, except 
that we are required by law to render our opinions in writing. Section 5-2-110, 
W.S. 1977.

[¶7.]     The agreement upon 
which appellant's cause of action is based violated § 6-4-102, W.S. 1977 (June 
1983 Replacement), which provides:

"A person who knowingly 
or intentionally pays, or offers or agrees to pay, money or other property to 
another person for having engaged in, or on the understanding that the other 
person will engage in, an act of sexual intrusion, as defined by W.S. 
6-2-301(a)(vii), with the person or with any other person commits patronizing a 
prostitute which is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more more 
than six (6) months, a fine of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars 
($750.00), or both."

[¶8.]     An agreement to pay 
money or transfer property in exchange for acts of sexual intercourse is 
contrary to law, morality, and public policy. Such contract is void and 
unenforceable. 17 C.J.S. Contracts § 266, p. 1170 (1963). "A contract which is 
contrary to public policy will not be recognized by the court, and the parties 
to the contract will be left as the court finds them." Tate v. Mountain States Telephone and 
Telegraph Company, Wyo., 647 P.2d 58 
(1982).

[¶9.]     The order of the 
district court sustaining dismissal of appellant's complaint is 
affirmed.